Cchools‐industry links

‘Who needs Schools‐Industry links?’ This question is often asked of those working at the Schools‐Industry interface and is sometimes accompanied by the rider, ‘What's in it for us?’ These attitudes are difficult to understand in the light of the fact that the great majority of school‐leavers eventually end up in industry (the term ‘industry’ being used here in its broadest possible sense). Too often schools pay scant attention to the important matter of careers counselling, this frequently being done on a part‐time basis by a teacher who is a specialist in some other discipline, and youngsters can drift out of school with no real idea of what the industrial world has to offer them. On the other hand industrial concerns often neglect to inform local schools of their careers opportunities and entry requirements and wonder why they fail to attract youngsters of the right calibre.