ALWAYS HAVE THE COURAGE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN... PASS IT ON!

I have been struggling with the challenges facing colleagues and seeing so many really talented, passionate and committed people going under as the DfE and OFSTED ratchet up the pressure in their search for the instant fix. To those friends and colleagues always remember that...

"We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. 

And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. 

I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. 

If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.” 

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Have a great Bank Holiday!

FOCUS ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER!

It has been another busy few weeks working on strategies and data, analysis and intelligence and case studies. Another week where people focus on the wrong things... like uniform, instruction, structures and management as the keys to success and fail to recognise the importance of feedback, challenge and hands-on experience of the world of work.

WHATEVER THE QUESTION, THE ANSWER ISN'T INSPECTION AND OFSTED!

At the end if yet another week working with some great young people in Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, I am confused that people keep telling us that our education system in Yorkshire and the Humber is performing so poorly.

TEACHING THE ELEPHANT TO DANCE!

A colleague asked me recently how she should start with the challenges she was facing  and I told her she should read a great book by James Belasco...

Get Up To Speed 2017!

I was at 'Get Up To Speed 2017' today. GUTS is the annual Get Up To Speed event and was held again at the Magna Science Adventure Centre. GUTS is organised by Work-wise and has again broken all records with over 2000 visitors and a huge number of exhibitors and attractions.

BAEHAVIOUR, INTEGRITY AND MOST IF ALL CHARACTER MATTERS!

Interestingly, someone asked me the other day if behaviour, integrity and character were important. I think they define who we are and when they are lived and shape the way we behave they attract people to the cause, the endeavour, the organisation.

TRUST MATTERS!

The Great Place to Work Institute’s annual surveys are conducted with more than 1.5 million employees, in more than 3,600 organisations, in forty different countries has identified that success in any organisation really boils down to just one five‐letter word: TRUST.

DON'T JUST SIT THERE... DO SOMETHING!

Wherever you look and whoever you talk to money is tight and there is never enough to do the things that matter. But whether it is care for the elderly, unemployment in young people, concerns about special educational needs and inclusion or the underachievement of looked after children; hard times and tough issues require bold, big and brilliant solutions... anything to shake things up and challenge the status quo.

RELEASING THE MAGIC!

Gregg Thompson, president of Bluepoint Leadership Development, has identified seven things that will make a real difference in your team, your school, your hospital, your care home, your company, your business or your organisation. Do all seven, and you will release real magic in your team!

TEST, ADAPT AND LEARN!

The Cutlers' Better Learners, Better Workers' programme is built on the same principles as the Careers and Enterprise Company.... 'build on what works' and 'test, learn and adapt' and over the last five years over 500 young people have received the Cutlers' Skills Passport and a further 1500  are currently on programmes in schools across Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield.

INTEGRITY+CHARACTER+RESPECT+TEAMWORK = EXCELLENCE

We need outstanding businesses, schools, hospitals, communities and it is interesting that the ingredients of the culture we need to develop to create any outstanding organisation include teamwork, leadership, character, persistence, determination and hard work... the same elements that lie at the heart of the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programmes.

THERE'S NEVER ANY MONEY!

With the new financial year upon us, everyone is complaining that there isn't enough money to fund the NHS, social care, schools, roads... everything needs more money. And now we face an election in June where the real issues facing the country will be drowned out by the arguments over 'Brexit'!!

THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM'S 10 SKILLS YOU NEED TO THRIVE IN THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL AGE!

NESTA TOP 20 SKILLS AND THE CUTLERS' SKILLS!!

The skills that are most often required in job adverts are the skills that underpin the Cutlers' ' Better Learners, Better Workers' programme.... teamwork, communication, planning, creativity, problem solving and organisation. We need to be working with schools to ensure all young people have access to these skills to compete in the world of work.

SKILLS MATTER!

SKILLS EMPLOYERS WANT MATTER!

SKILLS MATTER!

SKILLS MATTER!

THE NEW BASICS!

BE POSITIVE!

“If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don't! If you want to win, but think you can't, It's almost a cinch you won't. If you think you'll lose, you're lost; For out in the world we find success begins with a fellow's will; It's all in the state of the mind. Life's battles don't always go to the strongest and the fastest, But sooner or later the colleague who wins is the colleague who thinks they can.”

HAPPY EASTER: EAT CHOCOLATE!

This Easter make sure that you eat lots of chocolate...

I have been talking about the benefits of eating chocolate for a long time and some people simply wouldn't believe that is makes you cleverer and asked me where is the research evidence.

THIS EASTER, DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

If like me you are fed up, with the vacuous celebrity culture that dominates everything in this country and the way the media and the rich and famous take advantage of the rest of us, you probably need encouragement to get you through the dark days and the long weekends.

THINGS TO MAKE YOU HAPPY!

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BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS... RELEASING THE ‘WOW FACTOR’!

Business Champions have always been a vital element of the Cutlers’ 'Better Learners, Better Workers' (BLBW) scheme. They support and mentor their groups of ambassadors during the two year programme, helping them to access a high quality world of work (WOW) programme, and enable them to develop the essential skills and attributes required to thrive and succeed at school and in the world of work. 

THE CUTLERS' ‘BETTER LEARNERS, BETTER WORKERS’ PROGRAMME …RELEASING THE WOW FACTOR!

The Cutlers' ‘Better Learners, Better Workers’ (BLBW)programme is going from strength to strength. We are now working with the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) who are supporting the further development of programmes in Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham schools and academies. We have also secured matched funding from the Arts Council England via Cape UK to support the further development of the BLBW Arts and Culture strand over the next two years.

THE ONTARIO SKILLS PASSPORT!

The Ontario Skills Passport (OSP) provides clear descriptions of Essential Skills and work habits important for success in work, learning and life. Learners can use the OSP tools and resources to assess, build, document and track their skills in classroom, cooperative education and other experiential learning opportunities, volunteer and extracurricular activities.

EARLY CAREER OPTIONS!

SKILLS ARE PORTABLE!

JOB CLUSTERS THAT REFLECT SKILLS DEMANDED BY EMPLOYERS!

NEW AUSTRALIAN JOB CLUSTERS!

WE NEED TO MOVE BEYOND JOBS TO SKILLS!

THE NEW WORK MINDSET!

We have known for a long time that the way we work will be increasingly affected by three global economic forces; automation, globalisation and collaboration. If we want young people to capitalise on these opportunities and navigate the challenges brought by these changes, they need a set of transferrable employability, enterprise and world of work skills. 

KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED IN LEARNING!

This important NFER report outlines strategies to keep students engaged in learning. Importantly this isn't simply about young people who are at risk of becoming NEET and should lie at the heart of provision for all young people...

TOP TIPS FROM NFER!

NFER produced a brilliant resource which should be read by all senior leaders in schools and colleges. It reinforces the fact that meaningful experience of the world of work needs to be part of an entitlement for all young people. These top tips are at the heart of the Cutlers' 'Better Learners, Better Workers' programme.

WE MUST ALL BE BETTER LEARNERS AND BETTER WORKERS!

I had a great week, last week, working with some really amazing people in Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham...