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Schools are vital in training workforce "THE education system has a critical role to play in building tomorrow's workforce and upskilling today's," the Secretary for Education, Howard Fancy, has told New Zealand and Australian corporate leaders.Mr Fancy was speaking in Auckland at a regular meeting of the Trans-Tasman Business Circle. He commented that as business has faced enormous change over the past 20 years so too has education. Both are responding to new technology, new policies, global influences and each other. Many opportunities are flowing from strong relationships between the business and education. The business world is being used to create relevant and exciting teaching and learning opportunities. The Young Enterprise Scheme involves senior secondary students forming their own companies, becoming directors and developing products and services to market and sell. Throughout the country these young entrepreneurs are guided by business mentors. The Technology Education Beacon Project involves senior secondary students in technology focussed ventures. The success of this project, too, comes from close partnerships between students, their school and the business community around them. Underpinning such innovative learning must be the basics of education being taught not just from primary school years but from early childhood. We have a world class early childhood curriculum. It recognises the powerful learning young children are capable of and how important this is as the foundation for learning throughout their lives. In schools there is already a much stronger and explicit focus on building literacy and mathematical skills. This will continue. There is a stronger focus on developing skills such as problem solving, creativity, teamwork, leadership and the ability to relate and walk in different worlds. This is not instead of literacy and mathematics, it is as well as. Increased careers advice and guidance is taking place. Not simply about the nature of different jobs but also about the needs of modern workplaces. Increased investment in modern apprenticeship and industry training has been a priority, again increasing the range of pathways through the education system. Relationships between business and education can inform and support the transfer of knowledge, research and information so the tertiary system can more effectively contribute to innovation, problem solving and productivity. At a tertiary level, links, better and more relevant feedback between institutions and employers is vital. Also important is harnessing the research and specialised knowledge of those working in tertiary to enhance innovation and productivity. An education system and business community do not work in isolation. While they are already working together and feeding off each other, there is scope for much more cooperation. Success for both education and business is more assured with strong support for and relationships with each other. |
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