Hello!

I thought I’d introduce myself as the new girl at what is a very exciting time to be joining O2i!  I clicked onto my morning news alerts earlier – only day two for me here at O2i Towers  – and discovered the CBI/Pearson Education And Skills Survey 2015 had been published. Hurray! Nothing quite encourages you in a brand new role like sipping coffee while reading survey results you believe in…and that you will be dedicating your time to improve.

The 2015 survey reveals that nearly two thirds of businesses are willing to play a greater role in supporting careers provision in schools and colleges. Perfect – we’ll have them signed up to O2i in no time! Over half of employers who are already linked to education report they have increased their engagement in just the last year. Great! Let’s keep it going…

The survey also shows that employers believe that a top priority for schools and colleges should be developing awareness of working life with support from businesses. Exactly. We will support Oxfordshire’s schools and businesses wholeheartedly to develop this awareness.

Unsurprisingly, the biggest obstacles to extending and deepening business involvement nationwide were listed as uncertainty over how to make work experience worthwhile, a lack of interest among schools or pupils and problems in fitting involvement with the school timetable. A large part of my role will be focused on making sure that the process of bringing volunteers from business into schools is as positive and efficient as possible for all involved. It’s great to get a sense of where we currently are and where we can aim.

All of these findings contained in the report are at the heart of O2i and are precisely what I’ll be working on and around in the coming few months and years. Do please get involved in the conversations on Facebookand Twitter and sign-up to O2i – it’s going to be an invigorating time, I can already tell!

I’ve joined an enthusiastic and friendly team with plenty of experienced guidance from experts in education and business so I am fully optimistic that we can continue to do great work and have a positive impact on survey results like these in the future.

And…to top it all off, cake appeared halfway through my reading of the report.  There was also cake yesterday which means that there has been cake in the office for 100% of my time at O2i thus far. What a great start!

Speak soon,

Rebecca