The pandemic has supercharged changes to the world of work, prompting businesses to re-evaluate their priorities and embrace new practices. With this sudden revolution, the work of education business partnerships (EBPs) has become ever more indispensable. At the best of times, EBPs help schools to understand and integrate the skills that modern businesses need, while giving organisations a hand in shaping future talent. And while we can assist schools in achieving their Gatsby benchmarks, the real value of our work lies in raising young people’s aspirations.
Post-pandemic, however, it has become even more important to uplift young people, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, such as many in South Yorkshire, where my EBP B&E Together operates.
In South Yorkshire, one initiative we use to support young people is the TEKK Challenge. This targets primary pupils’ enterprise and STEM skills by encouraging them to form their own company. Our latest challenge – the first since the pandemic – involved designing and building playgrounds. Our partner HSBC sent ambassadors to eight South Yorkshire primary schools to educate young people on the skills they needed to complete the project. These schools are a part of Wickersley Partnership Trust, a medium-sized Academy Trust based in Rotherham. It culminated in an event at HSBC’s office in Sheffield, where finalists presented their work to an audience and judges.
