Preparing students for the nine-to-five
In the UK and around the world for that matter the competition for jobs is becoming increasingly tougher, the challenge for Schools is how to best prepare their students for the rising requirements of life outside of the classroom.
What ultimately is the point of School?
Learning is of course at the heart of any educational institution but to what end? For a newly formed studio college in Leicestershire the aim is clear â€" prepare pupils early for the realities of working life.
The Principal explains in an interview with the BBC that "we're very different to traditional UK Schools; we start at 8.45am and close at 5pm so the young people are with us for the duration of a typical business day. We don't have a School uniform; we encourage a professional school uniform whereby students wear business attire to get them ready for the world of work."
According to the Principal the College is reacting to the range of skills and experiences that businesses are calling for and those that far too many current school leavers are failing to demonstrate.
Traditional academic qualifications are just one vital aspect in education, what about the role of so called 'softer skills'? Time management, communication and professionalism for example.
Well the view at this studio colleges that both are of equal importance to a young person's development. The College has adapted techniques to engrain this idea throughout their centre.
In addition to the best practices mentioned, the centre has removed the typical form class with that of a personal coaching session. Students are also encouraged to structure their day themselves such as by communicating and networking with fellow pupils to form communities. Here they will be solely responsible for managing their own time and to make sure they meet their deadlines for tasks.
The College have introduced this from key stage 4 (GCSE level) to ensure that their final two years (if they decline further education) reflects the requirements of working life. Digital technology has a complimentary arm in this with the College introducing unique GCSE resources that support and encourage this type of independent learning.
The students at the college are gaining unique access to life after school, conditioning and preparing their skills, experiences and expectations in a way that makes them more employable.
The Colleges initiatives however do not stop there as students are also expected to gain real-life business experience. GCSE aged students are sent out on work placements periodically during school time. The purpose of this is to further improve the transition between learners at college becoming valuable workers once in employment, so that the jump from academic work to professional work is not overwhelming.
For many employers examples such as these are an encouraging development and one that is vital in order for students to get exposure and experience of work before they enter the job markets.
However, certainly in the UK, partnerships and initiatives between employment and education are too scarce and it will take time before the UK labour force sees an impacting change.
Many will argue that work can wait, that school should be something separate and different but not at this Leicestershire College where the nine-to-five begins at 14.
To read more from this author follow them @LearnersCloud or visit their blog: Insights from the Cloud