'Visit our Schools & Colleges'

This October sees the first ever national week to celebrate employers working with schools and colleges. Throughout the week hundreds of head teachers and principals will be welcoming senior leaders from private, public and third sector employers of all sizes into their schools to find out more about their successes and challenges. It will be a chance to have a practical discussion about what young people need to give them the best possible start in life, and how employers can help through STEM activities, work experience, mentoring, governors and a range of other volunteering activities for their staff.

Hundreds of schools and colleges, of all types, have registered to take part. Now, we need employers to sign up and get involved. Across the country we expect to have invitations from well over 500 schools and possibly as many as 1000. Taking part is easy and is completely free of charge. All you would be committing to is up to about two hours of your time around the week of 18-22 October to visit a local school and find out more about their needs and how employers can work together with teachers to make a real difference to young people.

The week is strongly supported by all the leading representative bodies for schools, colleges, teachers and employers. We are delighted with the response on all sides. As well as hundreds of schools signing up across England, there has been strong interest from CEOs, chairs and Board members from many of our largest and most prominent employers. We already have 60+ chief executives and chairmen including many FTSE 100 companies committed to visiting a school. We have also generated interest across the media, particularly the Financial Times who are intending to publish a special report on the 19th October about how businesses are working with schools. We are hopeful that the week will serve to capture the public mind about the importance of employers working with schools and the difference that this can make to young people.

Amid the economic challenges facing us all, the campaign offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate employers and schools working together to make a real difference for our young people.

For more information please see www.visitourschools.org or contact Nick Chambers at the Education and Employers Taskforce who are coordinating the campaign Nick.Chambers@educationandemployers.org 0203 206 0510.