Aberdeenshire Council launches new partnership as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week
Aberdeenshire Council is launching an ambitious new partnership with the national charity Education and Employers, giving all Aberdeenshire school pupils an insight into the world of work.
The aim over the next five years is to ensure that every primary school child in Aberdeenshire has an opportunity to meet and learn from people doing a variety of roles in different sectors regardless of where they live, their socioeconomic background or family connections.
This will be done by supporting primary schools to build productive relationships with employers and their employees.
They will get hands-on support with world‑of‑work activities with a diverse range of people who can help bring the subjects they are studying to life, excite them about learning, help raise and broaden aspirations, motivate, inspire and give them confidence they can succeed.
Launched as part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, a special event is being held at Maud School on Thursday (March 5).
Director of Education and Children’s Services, Aberdeenshire Council Laurence Findlay said: “This partnership strengthens our ambition to ensure every child and young person in Aberdeenshire can see a clear and inspiring pathway from their classroom to the world of work.
“By starting early and connecting learning with real life opportunities, we can raise aspirations, improve attainment and support our employers with the skills they need for the future. This work will help our young people understand what is possible - and give them the confidence to pursue it.”
Maud School holds particular significance as David Cruickshank, Chair of Trustees, Education and Employers, Deputy President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and former Global Chairman, Deloitte
and attended the school until the age of nine.
He said: “It is a privilege to return to Maud School, where my own learning journey began, to help launch a partnership that will open doors for the next generation.
“Every child - wherever they grow up and whatever their background - deserves the chance to discover the full range of careers available to them. This work with Aberdeenshire Council is about building confidence, aspiration and opportunity from the earliest years.”
The event’s theme “Inspiring the Future - from Apprentice to CEO” celebrates that journey and encourages local pupils to be ambitious about their own futures.
The partnership between Aberdeenshire Council and Education and Employers is designed to build on Aberdeenshire’s nationally recognised leadership in Foundation Apprenticeships and the charity’s research and Inspiring the Future programme.
Chief Executive at Education and Employers Nick Chambers said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Aberdeenshire Council to support a systemic approach to helping young people understand the world of work and options open to them – starting in primary school.
“The council’s apprenticeship delivery has been recognised nationally and internationally as excellent and we are delighted to be building on this excellent work on the FAs to further improve outcomes for young people and employers across the North East.
“Evidence shows that when young people meet a diverse range of volunteers from the world of work, their attainment improves, their horizons broaden and they develop stronger motivation and confidence.
“What we do is make it really easy for schools and employers to work in partnership and together, we can ensure that every young person in Aberdeenshire has access to meaningful encounters that help them imagine - and achieve - their future.”
The charity’s research has proven that children’s aspirations are largely based on who they see - family/ neighbours etc, TV, and increasingly social media.
As a result, they often have a limited understanding of the opportunities open to them and ingrained stereotypical views of the jobs people do based on their gender, race and social background.
The research has also shown that the aspirations of seven-year-olds are often similar to 17-year-olds and have little in common with the jobs of today and the future.
Head Teacher at Maud School Gaynor Steel said: “Building strong links with employers and industry partners helps us widen our children’s understanding of the world beyond school and having access to a bank of online materials and inspiring volunteers is a tremendous resource for our staff.
“Career talks and real life inspiration sessions make a huge difference to our learners - they become more engaged, more curious and more confident about their futures. Developing productive relationships with business partners enriches our curriculum and ensures our pupils can see the relevance of their learning and the exciting opportunities ahead of them.”