President's column: Don 't stop now, engage with education

So, I only have a few weeks of my Presidency left!, writes Robert Elliot, president of Solihull Chamber of Commerce.

Year one was very different to this year but many of the initiatives we have championed have continued and I sincerely hope Solihull Chamber, its executive committee and our new president, Tony Elvin, will keep up the good work.

Over the last six years in Solihull and the surrounding Borough I have been keen for Business to Engage with Education.

My company held events welcoming schools to our business.

We set challenges, ran events, and raised the profile of our industry. Additionally, we were governors and Careers and Enterprise advisers at local schools and worked as business advisers on schemes such as Young Enterprise.

Why I am telling you this?

Well sometimes there is a barrier preventing such interaction to take place. Businesses asking “How do I approach a school? We would love to help ” Schools having the same challenge, “who could we ask to help us ”

My efforts and those of several fantastic Solihull Chamber members have proved that interaction with schools and colleges is easier than you think. Obviously, the rules of engagement have changed.

Assembly talks and careers fairs have become videos and virtual tours. We have become accustomed to a virtual world, young people were well ahead of us anyway (!), so the two can now connect.

I 'm setting you a challenge.

Could you support a school or college? Could you provide a video, better still could a younger member of your team film a video celebrating your company, industry, and how they got there. Could you support the activities of the local careers hub and assist them virtually with their work?

The Solihull Chamber team will help you connect.

I started a push for us all to “Give an Hour ” and many people did just that. I have said many times that our young are 20 per cent of our population, but clearly 100 per cent of our future!

Thank you for engaging your business with education.