Diploma Champion for Employers praises model school~company
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Sir Alan Jones, chairman of Sector Skills Council,
Semta, and chairman emeritus of Toyota UK, today visited a West
Midlands school to see an award-winning education~industry
partnership in action. The scheme is being used as a model for the
local delivery of the new Diplomas for 14-19 year olds which Sir
Alan is championing on behalf of employers nationwide.
St Michael’s C of E High School in Sandwell hosted the visit to
demonstrate how the successful Metals Academy Black Country
Industry~Schools Partnership works in practice.
Funded through the Metals Academy by the Iron and Steel (West
Midlands) Trust and co-ordinated by Sandwell Education Business
Partnership (EBP), the initiative provides teacher placements,
company visits and work experience programmes for pupils, and
‘ambassadors’ – apprentices who have been specially trained to help
with project work in the classroom. Earlier this year the scheme
won three local EBP awards and a national award.
Said Sir Alan: “Successful company/school partnerships like this
are key to the new 14-19 Diplomas which put learning into a real
work context and inspire young people to participate and achieve.
I’d recommend other employers to follow this partnership’s lead and
ensure that future generations have the skills, learning and
attitudes that business really needs.”
As well speaking to pupils about their work experience, the
Diploma Champion also heard Sarah While, design and technology
teacher skills co-ordinator, explain how her placements in Metsec
and Corus had benefited her teaching. Sir Alan then sat in on her
GCSE manufacturing lesson.
Sarah said: “The teacher placement has been a valuable
experience. Time spent out of school and in the workplace has
allowed me to experience industry and produce quality resources to
help deliver the GCSE manufacturing syllabus. I’m more confident
now, having experienced areas such as quality control and health
and safety, and hopefully this is reflected in the overall quality
of teaching and learning.”
Sandwell EBP is part of a consortium bid to deliver the
Engineering Diploma and will soon be bidding to deliver the
Manufacturing Diploma. Manager, Gary Clark, said: “The relationship
that the Metals Academy has with schools is exemplary. We see this
model as a vehicle for delivering the new diplomas and want to see
it rolled out for the benefit of schools in other areas. The
commitment from the employers has been outstanding. It’s helped
engineers understand issues in schools and schools are benefiting
by seeing how they contribute to business in making sure their
young people are equipped for working life.”
Said Stephen Tilsley, chairman of MetSkill and managing director
of participating company Metsec plc: “We want teachers to be able
to come into our companies, collect examples to bring the
curriculum alive and bring pupils in to see for themselves. It
helps convey accurate messages about working in industry to more
young people year on year so that they can benefit when making
career decisions.
“It’s a win-win situation: teachers can be sure they’re
delivering the curriculum in a way that’s relevant and reflects
current industrial best practice; industry benefits by showing what
engineering and manufacturing is really like and the excellent
training and career prospects we offer.”
Ends
Quality images of Sir Alan’s visit are available on request.
Media contact: Nikola Alevizos, E: n.alevizos@metskill.co.uk,
T: 0114 244 6833
Notes to Editors:
1. MetSkill is the strategic skills body for the UK metals
industry and is part of Semta - the Sector Skills Council for
Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies.
2. The Metals Academy is a MetSkill initiative which works with
schools and employers, offering a value-added service to employers
with additional training, social and networking opportunities for
apprentices. It advises young people on career opportunities, helps
match applicants to vacancies and oversees the training of
apprentices to ensure the highest quality standards are upheld.
3. Diplomas are new qualifications designed to give young people
aged 14-19
a broad education, blending knowledge of a vocational area with
maths, English, ICT, personal learning and thinking skills.
Diplomas are being developed in 14 areas of learning. Available at
three levels, they prepare young people for university, further
learning, training or employment. Selected schools and colleges in
England will begin offering the Engineering Diploma from September
2008. The Manufacturing Diploma will be available from 2009.
4. St Michaels is one of four schools and six metals firms to
have signed the partnership agreement which takes teachers and
pupils into companies and brings people from industry into
schools.
Participating schools are: Holly Lodge High School, Manor
Foundation Business, Enterprise and Sports College, St Michael’s C
of E School, Wodensborough Community Technology College.
Participating companies are: Arcelor Mittal, Corus Distribution
and Building Systems, Edward Howell Galvanizers Ltd, JB & S
Lees, Metsec plc, William King Ltd.