NISCA Conference
Almost 130 representatives from schools and colleges attended the CCEA/NISCA conference in Cookstown on 30th May. Nikki McQuillan co-founder of the Streat café chain outlined from her experience, what makes young people employable. Oonagh Hinds from INVEST NI helped clarify the economic necessity for the work being done by schools. Conor Wilson, Lois Curragh and Paula Smith shared specific guidance on delivering Education for Employability at KS3 and KS4.
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Fact finding mission to Northern Ireland by Careers Guidance Guru
Professor Tony Watts paid a two day visit to CCEA in Northern Ireland on the invitation of Cecil Holmes Principal Officer Education for Employability CCEA.
Professor Watts is a self-employed consultant, based in Cambridge , England who has published a large number of books and articles on Careers Education and Vocational Guidance. Professor Watts has lectured in over forty countries, and has carried out a number of comparative studies of guidance systems around the world, as well as acting as consultant to several transnational action projects. His recent work has included acting as lead consultant to a World Bank study of career guidance policies in a number of middle-income countries.
Cecil Holmes has requested that Professor Watts - after a full consultation with relevant parties - suggest an “external” opinion on where we are in Northern Ireland in terms of career planning in the new and emerging context and suggest ideas for strengthening the current provision in the context of Education for Employability.
Transition 10 Pilot Project
The Transition 10 project has been developed by CCEA to support teachers with the delivery of Education for Employability at Key Stage 3.
Grammar, Secondary and Special Schools have participated in Transition 10. It is a school-led, pupil-centred activity designed to enhance learning in relation to the objectives associated with Education for Employability.
Transition 10 is an example of a curriculum delivery model, to be carried out as a discrete activity over 3 consecutive days preferably towards the end of Key Stage 3. The project has been supported by Education and Library Board Advisers who assisted with training and development of teachers. It aims to:
- raise awareness of ‘employability skills’ and their importance to life and work;
- develop knowledge of the local economy;
- provide opportunities for pupils to develop a range of skills including communication and team building;
- increase pupil self-esteem and to raise aspirations about future employment.
Pupils participate in a range of activities including business enterprise, team building, skills development workshops, involvement of adults from the community and world of work, research (including the use of ICT), workplace visits, and mock interviews
Dungannon and Cookstown Employability Pilot 'Connect for Success'
Thinking Differently, a training event held recently at Tullylagan Country House was led by Jamie Edwards from Trained Brain (see photograph) and attended by representatives from the 11 schools, CCEA and Aidan McCormick from SELB. Jamie Edwards (an ex professional basketball player) is a Performance Trainer and existing clients include Darren Clarke, Jimmy White, Graeme McDowell, Volvo and Red Bull.
The enjoyable training day was valuable and an appropriate start to an exciting and challenging pilot.
Residential for Teachers
The Burrendale Hotel and Country Club was the venue for a residential held recently to prepare teachers for delivery of an enterprise programme with year 9 pupils. Enterprise and entrepreneurship is one of the key dimensions within Education for Employability, an element within Learning for Life and Work in the revised curriculum at key stage 3. The programme encourages pupils to develop their own enterprising ideas for a produce or service to benefit their school or local community. The event was facilitated by Jim McCurdy BELB and Jeanette Sproule CCEA
Ready Steady Enterprise Showcase
Enterprising pupils from schools in Belfast were guests of honour at a special Enterprise Showcase organised by Jeanette Sproule CCEA and presented by Julian Simmons.
Year 9 pupils at St Colm’s, Twinbrook, St Louise’s Comprehensive and St Gemma’s participated in Ready Steady Enterprise, a pilot programme to support the implementation of the revised curriculum at key stage 3. The pupils developed their own enterprising ideas for a new product or service to benefit their school or local community.
The programme aimed to develop their creativity, teamwork and entrepreneurial skills. The Enterprise Showcase held in the Millenium Community Centre gave these budding entrepreneurs an opportunity to use IT, art and drama to present their ideas to other pupils, teachers and business representatives.
Ready Steady Enterprise
Education for Employability, including Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, is a priority not only for young people in schools but also for the future economic well being of Northern Ireland. Enterprising pupils at schools in Belfast have been sharpening their entrepreneurial skills in a pilot programme. As part of the Ready Steady Enterprise Programme, Year 9 pupils have been undertaking a range of tasks to develop their ability in areas such as creativity, teamwork and initiative.
The programme, which was developed by CCEA, has two main aims:
- to encourage schools and teachers to think
positively about
enterprise and entrepreneurship; - to promote opportunities
that will enable young people in post-
primary schools to develop entrepreneurial skills and attributes.
The programme ran for a 3 day period at St Gemma’s High School and St Louise’s Comprehensive College and as a 10 week event at St Colm’s High School, Twinbrook. During the event, pupils discussed local and well known entrepreneurs, brainstormed techniques for creating ideas and worked in teams to design a product or service of use to the school or local community.
Making a Start in Year 8
A major pilot programme for Year 8 pupils has been initiated by CCEA. Working with the five Careers Advisers from the Education and Library Boards, CCEA has introduced Education for Employability into Year 8 in around 50 schools across the country.
Each school has adjusted their current timetables to allocate one period per week – or the equivalent in time – to Education for Employability.
For the first time therefore, for many schools, the four dimensions of Education for Employability are being addressed by the pupils in the first year of post-primary education. The individual lessons which have been made available to the pilot schools cover:
- Work in the local and global economy;
- Career Planning;
- Skills and Qualities for Work;
- Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
The ethos of the lessons is one of active participation by the pupils in stimulating learning experiences which will develop not only the knowledge but also the skills and qualities required for the world of work. Essential to the programme will be links with the employment sector.
Primary 7 Pupils ‘Make it Real!’
P7 pupils learn how to take their dream and ‘Make It
Real’.
Primary School children have been creating their very own town
communities complete with mini-businesses. It is all part of
an innovative pilot project initiated in January 2004 by CCEA
and the NEELB in five schools in the North Eastern Education
and Library Board. The children learn about making financial
and lifestyle choices whilst working as a community group to
ensure their town is governed properly and carry out assignments
as a business team.
On June 9th, the pupils were guests of honour at a special
celebration event in Antrim Board Centre, organised by CCEA
and NEELB. Local TV personality, Frank Mitchell, presented
the pupils with certificates and asked them for their feedback
on the project. Spires Integrated Primary School presented
a song and dance they had created as part of their business
advertising campaign to encourage people to visit Japan.
Invited guests included members of the local business community
who
supported the schools at various stages of the programme.
Guests were invited to view a display by each school which
provided
a snapshot of some of the creative work that was carried
out throughout the programme.
The pilot project schools are All Saints PS, Ballymena, Balnamore
PS, Ballymoney, Castledawson PS, D H Christie Memorial PS,
Coleraine, and Spires Integrated PS, Magherafelt.
CCEA is working very closely with its educational partners in all of the Education and Library Boards with the intention of rolling the programme out to a further twenty-five schools in Northern Ireland
CCEA working with Invest NI
In June 2003, Invest Northern Ireland launched the Accelerating Entrepreneurship Strategy. The strategy stresses the importance of creating a culture that recognises and values entrepreneurs and the crucial contribution they make to economic growth. To achieve this, Invest NI feels an appreciation and understanding of entrepreneurship must be embedded in the education system.
According to the organisation, this strategy seeks to create an environment in Northern Ireland that allows, encourages and facilitates this embedding process. One way Invest NI is doing this is through the Go For It campaign which started as a pilot in October 2003 and will be operating again from September 2004.
The Go For It campaign is about raising awareness, capturing the public’s attention and beginning to build positive perceptions about entrepreneurship. It will help tackle the barriers that constrain Northern Ireland from becoming a vibrant, entrepreneurial society.
The Go For It campaign intends to play a key role in raising the level of business start-ups, creating a supportive culture for enterprise and simplifying the support structure for enterprise.
According to Invest NI, it will continue to develop and support programmes that encourage young people to consider entrepreneurial opportunities. It is currently working with CCEA and ANIC (Association of Northern Ireland Colleges) in the development of materials that can be used to help teach entrepreneurship in both the primary and post primary sectors and in the FE sector.
Primary Schools Briefed on Enterprise Education
Pictured at the recent event held in CCEA, Clarendon Dock are Jeanette Sproule (CCEA), Chris Donnelly (St Teresa’s Primary School), Melanie Mulligan (CCEA), Joanne Paul (Harmony Primary School) and Jim McCurdy (BELB).
As part of the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Steering Group initiative a number of Primary Schools, identified by the Belfast Education and Library Board, were invited to the event aimed at raising awareness of Enterprise Education in Primary Schools. Following the event schools will be deciding whether they wish to take this forward and participate in a pilot project. Those participating will have the opportunity to design an Enterprise Approach for Learning and Teaching in their Key Stage 1 class.
Schools represented at the event were: Forth River PS, Springfield PS, Harmony PS, St Kevin’s PS, St Teresa’s PS, St Joseph’s PS and Ligoniel PS.
For further information contact Melanie Mulligan, telephone: 028 9026 144
Viewing the Curriculum from a New Perspective
Dawn Fryer, a primary seven class teacher in West Belfast is always seeking new and innovative ways to deliver her curriculum. When approached by Melanie Withers from CCEA, she agreed to trial an employability unit within her class study topic of ‘The Famine in Ireland’.
Using practical scenarios provided
by CCEA, and their own problem solving and decision making
skills, the children explored the
theme of the movement of people in the past. They were then
able to make comparisons between the movement of people in
the past and in the present, including an exploration of the
type of work available and the job skills required then and
now.
Dawn recognised the opportunity to invite visitors to the school
so that the children could interview them and find out more
about their roles and experiences. She was encouraged by the
children’s enthusiasm and commented on how much she enjoyed
looking at the topic from a different point of view
Creative Connections
Pupils from Wellington College recently participated in the Creative Connections project with CCEA and Arts & Business.
An artist, organised by Arts & Business, worked with the year 10 pupils to find a creative solution to a business problem.
The school linked with the Wooden Floor Company for the project. The project provided pupils with a greater understanding of what creativity is, how it works, and its relevance to the business environment.
Creative Connections
Creativity is one aspect of Education for Employability. As part of the pilot work, CCEA is working with Arts & Business, a creative network established to help business support the arts.
Pupils from six schools worked with local businesses and artists to develop creative solutions to business issues. Each of the six businesses involved presented the pupils with a problem or issue they were currently facing. An artist, organised by Arts & Business, was then selected to work with the pupils in order to find a creative solution to the problem. This experience has provided pupils with a greater understanding of what creativity is, how it works, and its relevance to the business environment. Schools participating were Lagan College, Belfast; Portora Royal School, Enniskillen; Rosstulla Special School, Jordanstown; St Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick; St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook and Wellington College, Belfast. As a result of the pilot, effective links with schools and business organisations have evolved. For example;
- Lagan College worked with Chemical Synthesis Services
exploring ways to increase
the pool of scientific skills in
Northern Ireland. - Portora Royal School worked with Fisher Engineering to
look at ways of improving communication between staff
based in its office site, and the implementation teams who work on location.
The programmes ran over 2 or 3 consecutive days, led by the artist and supported by the class tutor. The target group of pupils was Year 10. Various forms of art were used including drama, music, creative writing and visual art. It has enabled creative training to be brought into schools to support the proposed new curriculum at Key Stage 3. The project will continue with schools in 2004/2005.
For further information on Arts & Business, check the website: www.aandb.org.uk
CCEA Conference on Education for Employability for SLD pupils
The Glenavon Hotel in Cookstown was the venue for the recent CCEA Conference for Employability for SLD Pupils.
The very successful event which was organised by Vivienne Bannon (CCEA), was attended by teachers representing the 21 SLD schools throughout the whole of Northern Ireland and SELB Advisor Aidan McCormick . Mary Mimnagh , the Head Teacher from Newhills School in Easterhouse, Glasgow was a charismatic and informative guest speaker and contributed greatly to making the day an overall success.
Further developmental work is currently being undertaken by a small working group on Education for Employability for SLD pupils and it is hoped that a date will be organised in the New Year to update teachers in this area.
Certificate of Business Enterprise
Three colleges of Further and Higher Education in Northern Ireland have been trialling the Certificate of Business Enterprise. This exciting CCEA pilot programme is designed to promote business enterprise amongst students enrolled in a wide variety of courses, from NVQs in Beauty Therapy to professional courses at level 3 and beyond.
Students who achieve this Certificate should develop the knowledge, skills and understanding to establish their own small business enterprises and thereby contribute to the Northern Ireland economy. All young people, regardless of the type of career they choose to follow, are required to be creative and enterprising in their work.
The course being trialled is composed of four units (The Business Idea, Marketing, Business Finance and Legal Aspects of Business), each unit requiring approximately 12 hours to deliver.
Students assess their own suitability for self-employment and put forward a business idea, outlining why they consider the business should be a success in their local area. They draw up a monthly cash flow forecast for the first twelve months and devise a basic marketing plan.
Students describe the legal structure of their business and produce a health and safety plan. Students have opportunities to practise and improve key employability skills such as oral communication, working with others, using initiative and being creative.
The colleges of further and higher education involved in the initial trial included Castlereagh, East Down and Newry and Kilkeel. All colleges in Northern Ireland have indicated that they wish to join the extended trial from September 2004.
Broadening Horizons
Teachers in Northern Ireland are renowned for their excellent work and for continually seeking to improve the quality of learning that takes place in their schools. CCEA’s objectives for the revised Northern Ireland Curriculum are to develop children as
- individuals;
- contributors to society;
- contributors to the economy and environment.
Education for Employability is one of the elements underpinning these objectives.
CCEA recognises that teachers will need time to incorporate Education for Employability into learning and teaching. As a support aid, the DVD ‘Way 2 Work’ was issued to all schools in order to encourage and initiate staffroom discussion. At present, guidance materials are being developed for primary schools to explain this element of the revised curriculum in more detail and to exemplify real opportunities that schools can use in their everyday practice.
Blooming Great day at GCSE Learning for Life & Work Training Day
Wednesday 15 th September 2004
Teachers involved in the new Learning for Life and Work GCSE recently attended a very interesting and successful training day at CCEA Conference Centre for the Learning for Work module.
The event was facilitated by Jeanette Sproule from CCEA and was attended by teachers throughout Northern Ireland together with Education & Library Board representatives.
Different approaches to teaching the GCSE Learning for Work (Module 3) were highlighted by Michael Allen from Limavady High School . and typical schemes of work were discussed. Delegates welcomed the involvement of Glynis Henderson (CCEA) who informed delegates about the assessment arrangements for the GCSE.
The highlight of the afternoon was the talk anddemonstration given by the local Entrepreneur Claire Tosh from All Seasons Florists. The 26 year old entrepreneur is the winner of Interflora UK & Ireland Florist of the Year 1998 and the UK Representative for Great Britain team Skill Olympics 1999 . In relating her case history, revealing her sources of creativity, and discussing factors affecting her success and aspirations she was able to enthuse the audience and highlight important environmental factors for entrepreneurship.
It is hoped to run a follow up event in the near future.
