Warwickshire News Mine

Firms that work with Warwickshire County Council’s Education Business Partnership (EBP) were thanked for their efforts in working with pupils.

Companies large and small that give their time to carry out mock interviews and set business challenges for secondary school pupils picked up their awards at the first annual Quality Awards Conference.

Peter Jackson of EBP said: “This scheme is a huge help to students who are in Year 11 and considering their future options. Having people from the world of work come into their school gives them a practical insight into the experiences and challenges they are likely to encounter in later life.

“These awards have been held to thank and congratulate the companies that have given their time. Many of these businesses have set stimulating challenges for the students and have gained from their input. The contribution they make to over 6,000 students around the country each year is invaluable, and we are pleased that firms across north Warwickshire are taking part in this scheme.”
Awards include:
In the south AMEC and Avon Insurance from Stratford upon Avon both won awards for ‘Best Practice in Company Strategy for Work-related Learning’.

AMEC, represented by Debbie Precious, has an outstandingly well-structured strategy for working with the Warwickshire EBP.  The company provides organised and well-structured placements, with good health and safety and student welfare arrangements. Many students have gone on to follow careers based on their positive experience at AMEC. The company also participates in a wide range of other activities from practice interviews to business days, as well as providing a board member for the Warwickshire EBP.
Avon Insurance prides itself on the work that it does to support a number of organisations within the area and they take their commitment to the WEBP practice interviews seriously. Lesley Whitehead-Coll, Karen Sexton and Isobel Sallis collected the award on behalf of the company.

Savoir Fair in Stratford upon Avon, represented by Sue Rapp, won the award for ‘Best Practice in Company Strategy for Work-related Learning in a small company’. Sue has supported the Warwickshire EBP in a wide variety of events and activities over a number of years, as well as publicising its work through the South Warwickshire Business Partnership.

NFU Mutual from Stratford upon Avon won the ‘Best Practice Award for Company Number Partners Programme’. Corporate Responsibility is high on the corporate and social agenda of many companies, and none more so than NFU Mutual.

The company is partnered with Bishopton Primary School in Stratford on the Number Partners Project and will soon be starting up with Snitterfield Primary School. An initial email to staff to join the project resulted in a staggering 63 people coming forward. Each week about 20 members of staff will visit Bishopton & Snitterfield Primary Schools to provide numeracy support to nominated children using specially designed games.
NFU Mutual has also been working with a number of schools helping older children with their interview skills. Twenty members of staff have led practice sessions across a number of schools in the South Warwickshire area, helping build confidence for school leavers as they enter the world of full time work.
Colin Parr and Becky Abrey collected the award.

Bal Choda representing Aston Martin Lagonda from Gaydon, won the ‘Best Practice Award for Company support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths’. Bal Choda is a Science and Engineering Ambassador and this award is for all his efforts and visits to schools locally and further afield with support from Aston Martin and a DB9.

Two Rotary Clubs won awards – Southam 2000 Rotary Club and the Rotary Club of Henley in Arden.  Both are relatively small with just over 20 members but they enthusiastically support the work of the EBP.  Jim Sleight and Alan Mudd represented Southam 2000 Rotary Club and Alec Halliwell, Brian Mitchell, Keith Ford and David Brain collected the award for the Rotary Club of Henley in Arden.

Any companies that would like to get involved in the scheme can call Peter Jackson on 024 7685 7845.
Ends

Pictures of the awards being presented are available by calling Antony Hopker in the Warwickshire County Council press office on 01926 418606.

Link to WCC