Young people have been getting to grips with science and business thanks to a productive partnership agreement to support enterprise in the area.

Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce and Renfrewshire Council have signed a new partnership agreement that will see a range of educational and youth employment activities taking place across the area.
The Chamber has key contacts at every school that are responsible for employability and work with teachers and pupils to help build relationships with local businesses and support them on industry related events & visits.

More than 430 pupils from Renfrewshire schools got involved in science-led activities during Renfrewshire’s  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fortnight as part of a partnership agreement between Renfrewshire Council and Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce.

Both organisations have now signed a new three-year deal, building upon the last four years of supporting young people to meet businesses, learn about the world of work and support them to develop their careers.

All Renfrewshire schools are signed up as members of the Chamber, which helps each school to build relationships with local businesses, go along to industry-related events, and learn about enterprise.

Pupils research local companies and ask questions during the Chamber’s monthly networking lunch so young people can learn about the skills and qualifications required for that field of work.

Tom Johnston, President of Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber is involved in a wider range of youth employment initiatives aimed to help tackle youth unemployment and support the local economy.

He said: “The partnership with Renfrewshire schools is unique throughout the chamber network in Scotland. By working with our young people in this way employers can give their future workforce an insight into careers in different industries while allowing young people to understand more of the world of work and help develop skills around communication, team working, resilience and self-management.

“The Chamber is delighted to renew our partnership with Renfrewshire Education for a further three years to continue this important work.”

In recent years, pupils from Woodlands Primary attended science sessions at West College Scotland, East Fulton pupils visited Doosan Babcock in Renfrew, and 50 pupils from Linwood High School took part in DNA science workshops at Thermo Fisher.

Other schools visits included trips to Royal Bank of Scotland, Boston Networks and Rolls Royce.

Convener of Education and Children’s Services for Renfrewshire Council, Councillor Jim Paterson, added: “Giving pupils the opportunity to learn about careers in STEM subjects and in enterprise is vital to supporting future economy and helping them to be informed about the world of work.

“Enterprise is part of the school curriculum and allows pupils to learn about how businesses work and the skills, qualifications and experiences they require for the career field they are interested in.

“With all schools in Renfrewshire part of the Chamber’s network, teachers are able to link in with industry events and make connections with local businesses to develop learning experiences that further children and young people’s education.”

With thousands of volunteers having taken part in more than 200 community clean ups and cleared more than 3100 bags of rubbish from the streets, Renfrewshire’s Team Up to Clean Up campaign has been a rousing success.

School leavers, how do you choose your college for getting a good job in the future? Here you can find a great article that can help you with this decision: https://samedaypapers.com/blog/best-colleges-for-jobs

Author

Founder of Paisley.org.uk in 1998 and constantly strives to change peoples attitudes to the town, Brian is a self described Paisley Digital Champion who promotes Paisley via any means necessary. You can also follow me on X