Role: Co-Chairman
Aim
The aim of the Taskforce (www.educationandemployers.org) is to ensure that every school and college has an effective partnership with employers which provides young people with the inspiration, motivation, knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to help them achieve their potential. By achieving this aim the Taskforce hopes to contribute to the future economic prosperity of the UK and our ability to compete successfully within the global economy which is dependent on the development of a highly-skilled, well-informed and motivated workforce.
Objectives
- To help ensure that all young people achieve their potential through school and further education and training gain the relevant skills, knowledge, aspirations and motivation to engage in further learning and enter the workforce with the attributes employers require.
- To provide clarity, simplicity and efficiency in linking education and employers
- Support schools and colleges in inspiring, guiding and motivating young people about the world of work
- To inspire and motivate employers through working with schools and colleges to:
- provide all young people with first-hand knowledge and experiences through high quality work-related activities and curriculum enrichment
- raise young people’s confidence and aspirations
- provide additional support to schools which operate in particularly challenging circumstances (especially National Challenge schools)
- ensure that young people are enabled to make better informed choices about their career options
Background
The Taskforce was established by a group of business leaders in collaboration with education leaders, intermediaries and Government to work with employers and education and became a registered charity in July 2009. The Trustees include leaders from the worlds of employment and education and have overall responsibility for the charity whilst its Partnership Board comprises of senior representatives of the leading organisations representing education, employment and intermediaries (www.educationandemployers.org/aboutus).
It will help implement the recommendations of the Prime Minister’s National Council of Education Excellence (http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/ncee/) which brought together influential business people with with education leaders from universities, schools and colleges. Bob served as a member of the Council and was responsible for producing report on school governance which made a number of recommendations which received widespread support. (www.bitc.org.uk/resources/publications/school_governors.html)
