A Worthwhile Source of Networking Contacts

In my previous life I spent 25 years as a teacher and had all sorts of roles in all sorts of very different schools. It is without doubt one of the greatest jobs in the world but, being an inquisitive sort, I decided to have a change and now have my own business.

In spite of what the media try to tell us the Business World and Education World have a great deal in common. In Business we are always striving to find new outlets for our products and to make new contacts: in Education teachers are always looking to find that extra edge that will help their students learn, or offer them an additional experience to enrich their lives.

There is one area where this shared desire to improve collides and that is in Statutory Work Experience. Every school in the country has to offer 15 year olds two weeks of work experience placement in a local business. In a secondary school near you there is a coordinator building a list of businesses to place 200+ teenagers every year.

By offering your business as a work experience placement you can achieve several things.

• A student who has had an enjoyable experience will be an advert for your business. I personally have done business with a firm of solicitors simply on the strength of the the tremendous way they treated my teenage daughter.

• Teachers use local services as well. During the placement a teacher will be given responsibility for overseeing the student. Often they will elect to supervise a student they know well. By simply praising the child concerned (when appropriate) you will create a positive relationship.

• The school coordinator will have a list of businesses where other students are placed, its quite reasonable to ask to be put in contact with these. Just say you want to "find out about and share best practice" which is one of the top ranking public sector catch phrases that opens all sorts of doors. You can then establish a line of contact with another business.

• And Finally....... You will be enriching a young person's life. That young person will never forget a happy work experience placement; indeed I know of several students of mine who have gone on to take up work with their placement business after school.