Agenda item

            The Director reminded the Committee that the Area Learning Communities had presented, in conjunction with a number of local school principals, to the Committee at its meeting on 14th June.

            He advised the Members that many of the city’s schools, colleges and universities rivalled the best in the world, with students in Northern Ireland achieving higher grades than their counterparts in all other UK regions at both GCSE and A-Level.  He pointed out that, while 60% of pupils in Belfast achieved 5 or more GCSEs, or equivalent, at grades A*-C in 2014/15, that meant that 40% of our young people reaching the age of 16 had not achieved that standard.  The Committee was advised that the figure stood at only 35% for those young people which were entitled to Free School Meals (FSME).  

            The Members were reminded that social disadvantage had a significant impact on educational attainment levels and that the Belfast Agenda contained commitments to ensure that children and young people would get the best start in life.

            He presented a number of proposals to the Members, which were linked to the Employability and Skills Framework 2015-2025, and included:

·        career advisory and employer engagement initiatives - which would build on existing campaigns such as the Department of the Economy’s Connect to Success work experience portal, and would also include paid work placements, with a proposed budget of £70,000;

·        development of digital skills - to ensure young people were equipped with the skills required for future industry, with a proposed budget of £60,000; and

·        support for targeted activities to help young people who had recently fallen out of the education system - where the Council would work to add value to existing interventions provided by the Prince’s Trust, with a budget of £70,000.

            The Director confirmed to the Members that the budgets were already available for the work to be undertaken and that they had been approved as part of the estimates process. 

            He highlighted to the Committee that, while the above activities were for the 2017/2018 financial year, officers were continuing to engage with government departments and other councils to identify other areas for collaboration.

            In relation to the paid, 4-6 week work placements, a Member requested whether students could be identified earlier in the year so that linkages between the students and the companies could be made prior to the placements taking place, in order to increase the likelihood of engagement and full attendance throughout the placement.

            The Member also enquired about the use of Belfast Metropolitan’s E3 campus, to which the Director advised the Committee that discussions were ongoing in relation to its possible designation as a digital hub.

            A Member stated that it was well-known that it was extremely difficult for a child to get a worthwhile placement for their “work experience” week if they did not have the right connections through their parents or family friends.

            The Director explained to the Members that, as a key employer within the city, the Council had a vital position in leading the way for employers.  He advised the Committee that Business in the Community was launching a new Business Education Charter and was encouraging employers to sign up and pledge their support to engage more organisations in order that 90% of children leaving primary school would achieve level 4 in literacy and numeracy by 2020.

            In response to a Member’s question, the Director of Development agreed to ask the Prince’s Trust for a postcode breakdown of where it’s funding was allocated to within the city.

            After discussion, the Committee:

1.     noted and approved priority actions for development and delivery in conjunction with relevant partner organisations in 2017/18 and approved expenditure of budgets, noting that the skills development budgets had already been agreed as part of the annual estimates process and had been set aside within the Departmental budget; and

2.     agreed that Belfast City Council would sign up to the Business in the Community (BITC) Business Education Charter.