On Tuesday 29th March, Aboyne Academy’s Business Studies and Hospitality pupils welcomed local businesses to the school’s first ever Business Breakfast.
Aboyne Academy has recognised the immense benefits in employer engagement with young people and has taken the initiative to approach employers, encouraging them to get involved with their future workforce.
The pupils involved were tasked with arranging, marketing and hosting this event for the first time and inviting local employers. The main aims of the event were to strengthen community links between schools and business, to explore ways Aboyne Academy can work together in mutually beneficial partnerships and to raise awareness to their pupils around the career options available to them.
Mark Smith, in his final week of school, spoke at the event on his journey in setting up a one day a week release to work placement with a local electrician company which then led to a paid weekend job and from showing his commitment and potential has more recently been offered a full time apprenticeship with the company.
Developing the Young Workforce, North East Scotland has been working with Aboyne Academy and both local authorities in supporting and promoting engagement between employers and education.
Erin Burke, Developing the Young Workforce Coordinator said: “As a team, our aim is to act as a single point of contact to support and facilitate engagement between employers and education. The North East Scotland team hopes that events such as this will encourage employers to increase their involvement with young people.”
There was a diverse range of local companies that attended ranging from McIntosh Plant Hire to Deeside Gliding Club.
Another of the companies present Arcadion, which dedicates itself to making living offshore more comfortable, and see the value in engagement with schools. It assisted the school in catering for the event, where Hospitality pupils and Arcadion chef made and served breakfast for the attendees.
Technical director of Arcadion, Clive Gregory explained the course of his career to delegates, beginning as an apprentice at 16, influenced by his father.
He said: “Since we began our Partnership Charter with the school in 2012, Arcadion has provided many work relevant educational experiences to the pupils and also gained personal development for our staff and wider advertising gains for the Company.”
“It’s important we encourage the skills in younger people which are needed by businesses to grow our economy.”
“The Curriculum for Excellence is very adaptable to real world of work activities and the more we can develop our own local skill base, giving them learning opportunities within local companies, the more talent we will retain in the region.”
“The Business Breakfast held at the school was to relay this message so that other businesses in this area might offer learning and development opportunities for Aboyne Academy pupils as even the smallest offer of help is of huge benefit to the students and school.”
“It was heartening to see as many companies in attendance and I hope the breakfast will act as a springboard to increase employer engagement for both Aboyne Academy and other schools in the region.”
Over the five-year partnership, students at the academy have brought fresh ideas and innovation to the company, this has been shown through the pupils designing Arcadion’s logo, event stands, PR and advertising at school events, adverts which have featured worldwide in British Airways magazines and have taken six Hospitality pupils each day during Offshore Europe to assist in the catering. In return, the school pupils have benefited through work experience, donations of school materials, assistance at school events, working with the employer in school, CV writing and project workshops.
Head Teacher at Aboyne Academy, Lorraine Scott said: “There was a lot of discussion, lots of ideas generated and many positive comments about our pupils and the benefits of developing partnerships with the school.” She admitted that in recent years she has come to understand that university is not for everyone and there are many pathways available for our young people. She sees great value in informing young people of career options from an early age. Aboyne Academy now includes all year groups in their careers fair with employers. Aboyne Acadmey is holding their next careers fair in September.
Lorraine Barr, Business Education Teacher said: “The business breakfast was a motivating and inspirational event, which allowed our S3 business students to demonstrate their communication skills to local employers. All the hard work paid off as students realised how impressed the attendees were.”
- If you want us to help match you with a school or need to know how you go about this get in touch at erin@dyw.org.uk. Together we can create a better future for our young people.