Education plays a major role in the economic development of any country, may it be developed or developing.
Businesses can help provide a more rigorous and skills-based curriculum, highlighting employability skills like teamwork, communication and presentation skills, among others. And they provide students with the third R, relationships. Relationships are not only important in the job market, but also to their personal lives – students gain access to role models they many not otherwise have.
So, with clear benefits to students, how do you get started? Here are some ideas:
Build a local advisory board. This group can be charged to invite local businesspeople into the classroom. Students can be the intermediaries between school and the business partner; they can talk about what is happening in the classroom to provide context and to give a human face to the school.
Start small. Provide opportunities that aren’t too time intensive or expensive for businesses. For local, small business owners in a tough economy, there may be a perception that these programs will go beyond their means.
Highlight benefits! Highlight for businesses the benefits they gain by hiring a 16- or 17-year-old student. Students are learning relevant, 21st century skills, and global knowledge. They have a lot of energy and excitement, plus a desire to succeed. Who wouldn’t want someone like that working for them? And these students return from college as highly skilled laborers. Stress to businesses that the skills and relevance they provide will benefit themselves as well as the students.
Understand teachers are learners, too. Businesses can also provide opportunities for teachers. For instance, a two-week externship for a finance teacher could allow them to practice their classroom knowledge and return to it with real-world examples. If businesses provide professional development for their employees, such as time management classes, they could consider opening those up to teachers as well. Having teachers sitting in on advisory board meetings often leads to new ideas.
Be flexible. Create programs that are very flexible and simple.
Make it international. Look for companies in your community that depend on exporting, importing or international banking. And make contact with your local Rotary, World Trade Council or Chamber of Commerce to explore connections.
Education gives us a knowledge of the world around us and changes it into something better. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us build opinions and have points of view on things in life. People debate over the subject of whether education is the only thing that gives knowledge.
Education plays a major role in the economic development of any country, may it be developed or developing. Many resources play a part in the growth of a country’s economy, one of which and perhaps the most important is human capital, which means the workforce of the country. QCBN
By Sheri Heiney
For more information about the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, please visit prescott.org or call us at 928-445-2000 or 1-800-266-7534, or stop by the Visitor Information Center located at 117 W. Goodwin Street, Prescott, AZ 86303.
Sheri Heiney is the president and CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.