New partnership between Salisbury businesses and schools

They have joined with schools and colleges across the area to launch the Salisbury Education & Business Partnership (SEBP) after education establishments voiced a need to connect more closely with the local business community.

Previously, forums have been held once a term with schools as a way to understand how businesses could best assist them, and this new partnership takes that joint working a step further.

Jonathan Curtis, headteacher of The Trafalgar School in Downton, said: “This is a hugely exciting opportunity for young people in Salisbury and the surrounding area. Links with industry and business bring learning to life, helping students make the connection between what they learn in school and how this relates to the ‘real world’.

"It is also a wonderful opportunity for business to connect with, and potentially influence, our future workforce.”

The SEBP is now looking for businesses that would like to get involved in activities over the next academic year.

There are lots of ways businesses and schools can work together, including workshops, providing invaluable work experience placements, judging competitions, mock interviews and help with CV writing.

As well as benefits to schools and pupils, there are also positives for businesses too. Involvement in the project could lead to future recruitment, staff development opportunities and it offers businesses a chance to give back to the local community.

The partnership will also work towards the long-term aim of developing and hopefully then retaining more of our home-grown talent locally.

Dan Collins, Business Manager for Salisbury BID, said: “This is a fantastic new partnership that will work to improve the relationship between schools and business in Salisbury. It will help discover new ways to work together, to enable pupils to develop new skills and make sure they are ready for their first foray into the work place. It will also have a positive impact on the entire Salisbury business community.”

A launch evening is being held on July 20 at 5.30pm, over Zoom.

On the night, there will be an overview of the benefits of being involved, presented by everyone involved in the Salisbury Education & Business Partnership as well as directly by senior leaders of some of the schools and colleges taking part.

Daniel Rhind-Tutt, chair of SEBP and Vice President of Salisbury Chamber, said: “We really hope businesses get involved in the new partnership. We want to see more of our talented students stay in Salisbury and hopefully this will give us all an opportunity to work together to find ways to make sure that happens. It is a very worthwhile initiative, and we will explain more at the launch event.”

Any business wanting to attend the launch event should sign-up via this link:

Launch of Salisbury Education & Business Partnership Tickets, Tue 20 Jul 2021 at 17:15 | Eventbrite

David Clayton from Sarum Rotary and Managing Director of Boatwrights Estate Agents said: “As a business owner I know how vital it is to make sure a business is visible and doing all it can to entice new workers.

"By getting involved in this initiative, businesses will not only be able to invest in their own future, they will also be able to invest in the future of youth in the area. We are very happy to help pupils to develop the key skills they will need to secure work throughout the rest of their lives.”

A new website for the partnership will be launching in the next couple of weeks.

For more information at go to sebpartnership.org once it goes live.

Get more Salisbury news. 

You can also like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date.

If you want online news with fewer ads, unlimited access and reader rewards - plus a chance to support our local journalism - find out more about registering or a digital subscription.

Email newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk with your comments, pictures, letters and news stories.