Engaging with parents and community
Engaging with the business community
- Students learn how businesses contribute to the community
Forming relationships with business communities, the tertiary education sector and other types of community organisations is important for schools and beneficial to students.
Why do schools engage with the business community?
Schools engage with the business community to:
- provide future employment opportunities for students, and help businesses meet their current and future skill needs
- work together to find solutions to community issues
- raise the school’s profile in the business community, increasing awareness and appreciation of school achievements
- access funding sources (sponsorship) for new school resources and projects
- provide students with alternative pathways at school, which can motivate students to stay in school
- provide a wider range of contexts to develop knowledge and practical work-related skills
- access technology and expertise which the school is unable to provide
- provide teachers with opportunities to work alongside industry experts and be involved in industry-directed training
- create work experience opportunities that will increase students' awareness of career options, the world of work, and the skills and attitudes required by employers
- provide students with mentors and role models in a wide range of occupations
- increase teachers’ knowledge of the range of jobs available in local industry and what training is needed to enter them.
Why do businesses partner with schools?
Businesses partner with schools and form informal links because they:
- are able to influence the future workforce by promoting skills, training opportunities and industries, recruit talent, and educate schools on preparing students for the world of work
- can stay informed of developments in education and gain an understanding of current teaching practices, assessment methods and accreditation
- know students represent a business’ present and potential customers. Businesses are able to raise their profile with this demographic by providing student-tailored packages (for example, tertiary banking packages) or sponsoring curriculum material
- can get ideas from students for developing and marketing products and services aimed at a younger generation
- can tap into schools' facilities, educational expertise and resources to help meet their businesses' training and development needs (for example, helping staff with literacy, numeracy and computer training needs)
- can connect better with the community, enhance their corporate image and gain an understanding of school problems and opportunities
- can help students begin to understand and appreciate the contribution of a business to the community.
“Businesses and schools often operate on different timeframes – eg businesses tend to want more immediate, shorter-term results, whereas schools may be used to operating on a longer-term basis. It’s important that the two parties meet and establish expectations and goals from the outset, keep the lines of communication open, and design the partnership activities with a business’ production cycle in mind.
"Being clear about your expectations from the start will help ensure that businesses and schools have a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.”
"Being clear about your expectations from the start will help ensure that businesses and schools have a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.”
Business New Zealand, 2007
