Speakers for Schools launches next month

It is going to be a busy month with a major conference on social mobility and the launch of Speakers for Schools, both taking place the week of 10 October. We now have over 700 people volunteering to participate including many leading CEOs, politicians, media and arts people, scientists, entrepreneurs and academics.

There will be a series of talks in state schools around England the week of 10 — 14 October. The aim is to give state school pupils the same opportunities to hear inspirational speakers as those at independent schools. Speakers will address the big topical issues: technological, scientific, political, economic, historical, cultural, artistic, ecological and ethical. The aim is to broaden the horizons and raise the aspirations of disadvantaged young people.

Visit: www.speakers4schools.org

Conference on education, work and social mobility

Europe's leading conference on education and employer engagement takes place at Warwick University on 12 October. The conference explores the link between education, contact with employers and social mobility and also examines international best practice.

This year's keynote speakers are Professor Robert Schwartz*, Academic Dean, Harvard University and Dr Jan-Eric Sundgren, Senior Vice-President Public and Environmental Affairs, Volvo Group, speaking on the EU-funded European Coordinating Body for Maths, Science and Technology.

Booking started in May and we only have 20 places left at the conference on 12 October 2011 at the University of Warwick, UK.

Book now: www.educationandemployers.org/research/research-conference-2011/

This year's conference considers the relationship between employers and education from primary through to higher education, focusing particularly on the role of employers and practical issues to improve social mobility. It is an opportunity to discuss topics such as:

• How to use work experience to challenge social inequalities

• Trends in social mobility in the UK

• How independent schools work with employers

• International perspectives on employer engagement, including in Egypt and the Arab region

• US approaches to engaging employers

• Evidence of how work experience can lead to better paid jobs

• How universities best engage with employers

• Other subjects covered include: school governors, enterprise education and youth apprenticeships

For more information and to reserve a place, visit: http://www.educationandemployers.org/research/research-conference-2011/.

*Pearson are kindly supporting this visit.

Inspiring the Future

Inspiring the Future is a free service currently being developed which will see people from all sectors and professions going into English schools and FE colleges to talk about their jobs, careers and the education route they took. The initial focus will be on secondary schools, FE colleges and larger employers but during early 2012 we will extend this free service to primary schools and small and medium sized enterprises.

You can register to participate from mid October: www.inspiringthefuture.org

A generous donation from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation will enable the scaleup of the Inspiring the Future programme to reach audiences across the UK over the next two years.

How Russell Group universities use work experience in admissions

New research explores how 'experience of the world of work' feeds into admissions to Russell Group universities. It is a desktop review of admissions and criteria for six courses namely: Business / Economics / Management, Dentistry, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine / Science. The report by members of the Taskforce looks into whether 'experience of the world of work' was cited as an 'essential' or 'desirable' criteria, or not mentioned at all. The report includes extracts from admission and entry requirements.

Full report: The importance of experience of the world of work in admissions to Russell Group universities: a desktop review of admissions and criteria for six courses

Many readers will have worked with the Taskforce's David Bevan, this month Dave begins a new career as an English teacher in a state secondary school. We wish him well.