The ICG was represented by Gordon Kirk, South East Regional Representative.
The panel brings together representatives of universities, engineering training providers, science and technology professional institutions and academies, WISE, the ETB and others to develop IAG strategies for promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) careers and supporting the work of other advisory services in these STEM areas.
Gordon reported from the meeting on three key areas;
There was a presentation from Jenny Asher from the National Education Business Partnership Network (NEBPN) who spoke of the support the NEBPN gives to its members. Members are mainly Education Business Partnerships but also include schools and employers. She also spoke of the evidence that they have collected about the benefits of work experience.
NEBPN members place 400,000 of the approximately 500,000 work placements in the UK each year. They are also working on non-statutory quality standards for work experience. This is a hot topic with the introduction of Diplomas in September 2008 and the increasing trend towards work experience tied into particular courses; Diplomas and Young Apprenticeships but also established courses such as BTECS and HNDs. Not to mention the growing number of placements for less motivated and excluded learners. Some schools are questioning if the 'traditional' block of work experience is both still fit for purpose and still deliverable, given the placement demands of learning programmes and 'inclusion' programmes. This is still a pressure despite the watering down of the work experience requirements for Diplomas to 10 days (from 21) and the removal of the requirement for it to be in the same occupational area as the Diploma they are studying. So a pupil on an engineering diploma can do work experience in retail and still meet the requirements of the course. This seems a pity. Jenny stressed the importance of and benefits of work experience to all, and, while this is undeniable, the question of how schools and partners can deliver both work experience for all and specialist placements for a growing number, is still unanswered.
If members out there have any contributions to a solution to this dilemma, we would be pleased to hear them.
The next presentation was from Martyn Drain, Director UK Career Academy Foundation (UK CAF), who spoke about the work of the UK CAF in enhancing the learning and prospects of inner city young people on post-16 business courses. The Foundation started in the 1980 in New York as a way to solve staff shortages in big finance houses in Manhattan by developing the potential of inner city and de-motivated kids in Brooklyn. Not too dissimilar to COMPACT for those with long memories.
In the UK it was launched over 5 years ago as a charity. Working with Edexel it has developed a module for BTECs in 'Personal Business Finance' that offers 4 unique elements to learners:
· 'Guru' presentations
· Personal mentoring
· Internships (6 weeks paid)
· Visits and seminars programme
300 institutions are supported so far with 1200 learners on programmes and 500 'graduates'. It offers CPD for teachers and alumni support. It has support from 400 companies and 28 out of the FTS 100. Martyn is developing a link with a school in Yorkshire that is piloting the Level 3 (Advanced) version of the Diploma (Engineering) in 2008. This level of support from employers and the Foundation could benefit many less confident or non-traditional learners on BTEC and Level 2 and 3 Diplomas post-16.
More information on UK CAF can be ascertained from their website www. careeracademies.com
The ETB staff have put a large amount of resource into the SCENTA website over the last two years and the usage figures show that it does appear to be heavily and increasingly used, 2.75 million visits since inception, this is a 12% increase in usage year on year. There are 21,000 registered users and 16,000 of these users visit at least two or three times per month.
I would urge members who have not explored this site to do so and to feed back their comments to the ETB or the site's discussion forum. You can access it at www.scenta.com
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