Collaborative Approaches to 14-19 Provision - Communities and ...

14-19 PATHFINDERS: THE SECOND YEARworkplaces. For example, five students from each of the four schools interested in working inthe construction industry visited a CITB training centre. A more able group from one school,studying GCSE engineering, visited a local company where they learned not only aboutengineering but also the structure of the company. Another visit was being arranged for agroup to visit a local furniture manufacturer as part of their textiles course. The coordinatorshave also begun to work closely with the Connexions Pathfinder PA to link the vocationalexperiences of students to possible progression routes.398. A key aspect of this pathfinder is the concern that employers should become closelyinvolved in helping to determine employability skills and build them into the curriculum. Anexample of this approach is the development of a one year post-16 course entitled Leadershipand Management. This is aimed at those who ‘wish to aspire to a higher level of employmentand want to know how to become leaders and managers’. The course was developed withsupport from Trox Ltd and Forest Heath District Council who will contribute towards itsdelivery. The course will be piloted from September 2004 with students drawn from threeschools. Students will spend three days in school and two days in high quality workplacements. The curriculum will be structured through the ASDAN Gold Award key skillsprogramme with elements drawn from the Institute of Management Insight courses, ICT forBusiness (CLAIT) and communications skills supported by Toastmasters International. Arange of employers will make regular inputs into the course using their own in-house trainingmaterials which have been adapted for the course. The Ministry of Defence Skillforceprogramme, as well as Young Enterprise entrepreneurship master classes, will also contributeto the course.399. Another feature of the co-working with employers has been the development of arange of staff development activities. Interestingly, these have been aimed at employers aswell as teachers, so that they can work together effectively in developing and implementingthe curriculum. Training of teachers to understand local business and develop the vocationalcurriculum has taken place. There have been sessions related to business, engineering andhealth & social care as well as more specifically focused sessions for ICT teachers with alocal technology company. Teachers have also been involved in training for GCSE subjectsin ICT, Engineering and Health & Social Care.121