Posted by admin on August 24, 2015 ·
by Meg Wright, Director, Engineering Development Trust (EDT) Scotland. Continuing our guest blog series featuring Informed Scotland subscribers writing on the theme Making connections across the learning & skills landscape.
EDT is a voluntary sector organisation whose mission is to provide STEM (science, technology, engineering & maths) activities and improve employment prospects of our young people.
I have recently joined EDT as Director for Scotland. Like all my previous voluntary sector jobs, working in partnership is key to delivering our programmes. However, this is the first time I have worked so closely with industry. My previous forays with industry have been with a fundraising hat on and this new role is distinctly different. At EDT, we work with industry to help them engage with young people in providing quality learning activities.
Industry and the voluntary sector need each other to help solve the problem of skills shortages, raise the aspirations of young people, provide equal opportunities to learn about career options and provide meaningful employer engagement.
It has got me thinking about partnerships: What are they? What is their value? What makes them successful? What can go wrong?
There are lots of questions. One thing I am very sure of is that the voluntary sector is vital to delivering services and projects, and we need to raise our heads high and work as equals with other sectors. It is too easy to slip into subservient mode and approach others cap in hand for a hand-out. All too often voluntary sector organisations feel beholden to the funder. Yes, we have to deliver the goods. Yes, we have to meet conditions of grant. Yes, we have to deliver quality and be professional. But we also need to debate, negotiate, lead, develop and deliver as equal partners on behalf of our beneficiaries.
While the drive at all levels is to work in partnership, it is not always easy. Each member of the partnership comes from a different organisation, bringing their own agenda, culture, priorities and challenges. However, partnership makes sense for lots of reasons. It provides different perspectives, brings together people with a range of skills, knowledge and talent and shares the workload.
So what makes a partnership work? A lot has been written about the theory of partnership working and translating this into practice takes time and effort. I can only talk from my own experience; as I reflect on various partnerships I have been part of there are a few common factors in those that worked well:
- The purpose was clear and we all had something to contribute
- Time was taken to get to know each other and sessions were arranged to find out our individual skills, talents and cultural contexts
- We debated – often vigorously, but with respect
- We worked hard and shared the load. We also respected when other priorities took over.
- Communication, coordination and cooperation were vital
A culture of openness, mutual respect and shared values goes a long way to making a partnership work, regardless of the sector. I am thoroughly enjoying learning much more about industry and being part of four-sector (voluntary, private, public and academia) discussions. By uniting as equals, all contributing, respecting each other and having a joint vision, we will make a positive impact on the challenges we face.
For further information contact [email protected]
Website: www.etrust.org.uk Twitter @EDTScotland
Read previous guest blogs in the series, including those from SCQF Partnership, UCAS, UKCES and SQA.
Posted by admin on August 21, 2015 ·
The third annual Informed Scotland Organisations & People Special has just been published to coincide with the start of the 2015–16 academic session.
It provides a snapshot of an ever-changing landscape. Subscribers find it a useful directory of the main bodies and institutions operating across business, education, community & adult learning, government and wider society, including:
- Sector-specific skills bodies
- Local authority education departments
- Teacher education institutions
- Colleges
- Universities
- Innovation centres
This year’s new content includes a section listing the national Developing the Young Workforce bodies and another detailing organisations engaging business/industry with education. We’ve also added commonly used acronyms to help our readers find their way through the jargon!
Subscribers receive the Special as a bonus, in addition to their regular monthly digests. Last year’s issue prompted great feedback: ‘this is a useful reference point for me… good to have info in one place’; ‘I can totally appreciate the amount of hard work that goes in to producing such a useful directory’; ‘excellent Special… packed full of really interesting info’.
All new subscribers will receive a copy – find out how to join the growing list and stay well informed.
Posted by admin on July 1, 2015 ·
June is always full of statistical releases and major reports and this year is no different.
There are some fascinating, rich reports to keep everyone busy over the summer, containing numerous recommendations and pause for thought.
Look out for the Creative Industries Sector Skills Investment Plan from SDS, The death of the Saturday job from UKCES, and a review of the Early Learning and Childcare Workforce by UCL Institute of Education, among many others.
The next regular issue will be the July/August edition which will be published at the beginning of September. However, subscribers will also receive the annual Organisations & People Special in August, ready for the new session.
A reminder you can now find all our subscriber guest blogs and past Specials in new sections of the website. And don’t forget to check the Learning & Skills Events Calendar to see what’s coming up – let us know if you’re planning an event that’s not already listed.
Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.
Posted by admin on June 8, 2015 ·
With Scottish Apprenticeship Week taking place during May it isn’t surprising that one of the hot topics last month was apprenticeships. The particularly high level of activity in construction was more unusual, however it highlights some examples of how a sector can act to tackle its skills shortages.
Look out for an interesting report from UKCES on skills in the health and social care sector, draft Career Education and Work Placement Standards documents from Education Scotland, and the launch of new national Adult Achievement Awards by Newbattle Abbey College.
There is also an Annex this month listing members of the new Scotland CAN DO Innovation Forum.
This issue marks Informed Scotland’s third birthday – how time flies…! One encouraging statistic to note: when the first issue was published in May 2012, youth unemployment in Scotland was 23.1% – it’s now 13.8%.
When it comes to birthdays we can’t compete with the General Teaching Council for Scotland – it’s celebrating its 50th anniversary this month – many congratulations!
Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy. Download our recent Special issues on Technologies at Work and Innovation here.
Posted by admin on June 1, 2015 ·
We’re excited to publish an Informed Scotland Innovation Special. It was commissioned by College Development Network to support their Emporium of Dangerous Ideas 2015.
The Emporium is ‘a future-orientated education festival that aims to re-establish the importance of dangerous ideas as agents of change in education – to shift the axis of what is possible!’
Karen Lawson, Curator of Dangerous Ideas, calls for everyone who is passionate about education to get involved and ‘innovate and create what really matters’.
CDN commissioned the Special to showcase the Emporium and place it at the heart of the broader innovation agenda across the learning and skills landscape. It pulls together relevant highlights from recent months, making connections between education, business, government and the wider community. It aims to encourage everyone to look beyond the usual places for their inspiration – and dangerous ideas!
The Emporium of Dangerous Ideas takes place across Scotland from 9–19 June 2015. Book to attend an event, or get involved in the discussion – tweet using #dangeroused
Other Specials can be downloaded here.
Posted by admin on May 28, 2015 ·
We’re delighted to publish an Informed Scotland Technologies at Work Special.
It was commissioned by Education Scotland to support the publication of their report, Building Society: Young people’s experiences and outcomes in the technologies, launched on 9 March 2015.
At the launch in March, Bill Maxwell, Chief Executive of Education Scotland said, ‘We want our young people to be fully equipped for a world which is changing, educationally, economically and socially, at an unprecedented rate.’
Technologies at Work highlights ideas, issues, projects and resources from across the learning and skills landscape. It makes connections between subject areas, between education and business sectors, and between the economy and learning. It aims to help business and schools identify and make the most of the common objectives and synergies of the technologies and Developing Young Workforce initiatives.
Sandra Cairncross, Edinburgh Napier University’s Dean of Engineering, Computing & Creative Industries, says, ‘Creative problem solvers who understand technology are key to Scotland’s future economic success. We must grow and develop an interest from early years onwards’.
Education Scotland encourages those across education, business and the wider community to use this Informed Scotland Special, ‘recognising the important bridge the technologies provides between the communities of school and work’.
An Education Scotland blog post has been published. Get involved in the discussion – tweet using #TechEdScot
Other Special issues can be downloaded here.
Posted by admin on May 6, 2015 ·
Deciding where to place items in each monthly issue is always a challenge. But that’s what Informed Scotland is all about – encouraging people to take off their blinkers and look beyond the obvious places.
See how another education or business sector is tackling similar or related problems. Discover how others have successfully piloted an initiative that would transfer to your own circumstances. Uncover research evidence analysed for one part of the country that has implications for yours.
In April there was one dominating topic – literacy – for learners of all ages and stages. The main reports were the Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2014, the Standing Literacy Commission’s final report, and Education Scotland’s 3–18 Literacy and English Review plus an updated ESOL strategy.
The other main talking points were the SFC’s Outcome Agreements for colleges and universities, and Audit Scotland’s Colleges 2015 report.
And look out for Nesta’s fascinating insight into the growth of ‘makerspaces’ which have mushroomed since 2010 and now offer great opportunities for learning in the community. Places like MAKLab, Edinburgh Hacklab, 57North and T-Exchange.
We’re currently working on two Informed Scotland Specials – one on Technologies commissioned by Education Scotland, and one focused on innovation to support College Development Network’s Emporium of Dangerous Ideas 2015. They will be made available on a new Specials area of the website where you can download past issues – except for the Organisations & People Special which is only available for subscribers.
Feedback that makes it all worthwhile: ‘Informed Scotland goes from strength to strength – excellent work!’ Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.
Posted by admin on April 20, 2015 ·
Have you checked the Learning & Skills Events Calendar lately?
Almost every day we add new events – conferences, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, awards ceremonies, lectures… Most are targeted at specific sectors and professions, but many are open to broader groups and some to the wider public – and many are free to attend.
At the time of writing, there are almost 120 events on the Calendar. They are happening in every city and right across Scotland, from Fort William to Earlston, Ayr, Orkney, North Berwick, Livingston and Clydebank.
Topics are wide-ranging, from apprenticeships to early years, parent engagement to leadership, reading to cyber security, youth work to biotechnology.
Each entry includes the organiser, location, cost where available and a link for more information. More details are provided about events run by Informed Scotland subscribers – just one of the extra benefits of signing up to our monthly digest.
All events, apart from Radio EDUtalk live broadcasts, are face-to-face. We couldn’t attempt to keep track of webinars and other online events… it would be a full-time task!
Browse the Calendar to find an event to attend, or to find out the dates to avoid for the one you’re organising. There’s no charge for listing. We look out for events to add, but make sure we don’t miss yours – email or tweet us the details. And watch out for our ‘#FollowFriday’ #ff tweets for the following week’s organisers.
People are finding it a useful service. Here are some recent favourite tweets:
@CEOScel ‘Thanks – much appreciated!’
@Dangerous_Ed ‘That’s brilliant! Thanks you for spreading the word!’
@EDAS_scotland ‘Thanks very much! Hope to see you there’
@IDEAScotland ‘Thank you so much for doing that, there will be more CLPL for teachers to follow’
Do you have an event you’d like included? Send the details to [email protected] or tweet @InformedScot
Posted by admin on April 9, 2015 ·
A few ‘big’ items made the headlines last month, with The Education (Scotland) Bill 2015 leading the way. Two Skills Investment Plans were published by SDS, on the construction and energy sectors. And Education Scotland launched a significant report on the technologies curriculum in schools. We’ve been commissioned to produce an Informed Scotland Technologies Special to support its recommendations – so watch this space!
There was also a fascinating report on gender equality from the OECD, a strident report on school education from the CBI, and some revealing research on outdoor learning from Scottish Natural Heritage and University of Stirling.
Amongst the usual annual sets of statistics, including on higher education students and finance from SFC, on global entrepreneurship from Strathclyde and Aston Universities, and poverty & social exclusion from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the first UCAS Teacher Training report was published on its new admissions service.
We also highlight a new Office Surfing pilot – part of this year’s Emporium of Dangerous Ideas from College Development Network – find out how you can get involved as a host or a Surfer!
Feedback to thrive on from a new subscriber: ‘We are very impressed with the range, amount and type of information which can be accessed via the digest…’. Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.
Posted by admin on March 7, 2015 ·
The word of the month was ‘challenge’. The Scottish Government’s new Scottish Attainment Challenge, based on the successful London Challenge, and the UKCES report Catch 16–24: Youth Employment Challenge, setting out how many employers value work experience but most don’t offer it.
Some significant developments to look out for this month include the new master’s for headship being developed by SCEL, and the first Invest in Young People Groups in the north east and Glasgow.
There are some detailed reports to delve into, including three on digital skills and employment from The House of Lords, BeIT Resourcing and Tech City, and the FSB’s fascinating report on home-based businesses.
A new guest blog is now online in our series featuring Informed Scotland subscribers. Many thanks to SCQF Partnership Chief Executive, Aileen Ponton, for The SCQF journey continues… following their recent major international conference.
Feedback that made us smile this month: ‘Informed Scotland is a fantastic idea – so much relevant information in one place – in a clear, handy format!’ Become an Informed Scotland subscriber to keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.
