Build a Business Network scheme connecting up education and business

Schools have received funding totalling nearly £69,000 under a Warwickshire County Council scheme to develop business networks and improve the employability skills of young people and increase job opportunities.

A recent OFSTED report called for more work to be done nationally to promote "enterprise education" in schools and increase business understanding among pupils.

But in Warwickshire that work is already ongoing thanks to the Build a Business Network scheme, funded through the county council’s Skills for Employment programme.

The scheme, launched last June, provides grants of up to £3,000 to schools to establish a network with local businesses. The funding enables schools to commission organisations like the Chamber of Commerce to create and facilitate the network between schools and local firms.

The aim is to improve the employability of school-leavers by providing activities such as work-tasters, careers fairs, and recruitment opportunities with local businesses.

Grants have already been received by 23 schools and colleges including The Coleshill School where a £3,000 grant has enabled the school to work with B46 - an independent networking group for businesses based in the B46 postcode which looks to make the most of the expertise and opportunities available locally. 

Coleshill School headteacher Ian Smith-Childs said: “We’re thrilled to be further developing links with local businesses and very grateful to be able to secure the ongoing excellent support of the B46 networking group. The links we are able to build with local businesses will be invaluable to our students and the planned activities will help our students develop vital employability skills and support their life-long learning.” 

Two other schools benefiting from Build a Business Network are North Leamington School and Lawrence Sheriff School, Rugby.

A £3,000 grant to each school allowed them to commission Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to establish a network of businesses from different sectors in the area to facilitate a programme of careers and employability support at the school.

Lawrence Sheriff headteacher Dr Peter Kent commented: “It’s vital that schools prepare their pupils for the world of work and without this funding, finding the right businesses to interact with us would have been more challenging and time-consuming.

"By working with the Chamber, this process is made much smoother and easier, enabling us to work with a range of suitable local businesses. As a result, the grant will make an invaluable contribution to preparing our students for the challenges of the future."

Warwickshire County Council leader Cllr Izzi Seccombe is delighted with the impact of the scheme.

“The Build a Business Network scheme has been designed to stimulate economic growth via schools, skills and employment. The grant was created in response to feedback from schools and businesses who told us they would appreciate opportunities for greater collaboration in a mutually beneficial way.

"Creating closer links between the two will help students gain valuable job skills, while employers will benefit from a valuable future recruitment channel.”

Cllr Philip Johnson, chair of the council’s Communities Overview and Scrutiny, said: “We want to encourage more working between businesses and schools - this will help more pupils acquire the skills they need to be workforce ready. The Build a Business Network will also help inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to give business a go.”

With a budget committed until 2018, the Skills for Employment programme aims to bring together the business world, education and training to enable young people to enter the workplace with the requisite skills.

For more information about Warwickshire County Council’s Skills for Employment programme, please call 01926 418027 or email skillsforemployment@warwickshire.gov.uk