The Times 100
P&G Citizenship Resource
Key Skills in Context
Stay Safe on the Farm
Zap!
Nestlé at Work
Reuters Young Journalist
Water Counts
Weather Machine
Corus - Making Steel
Corus - Coating Steel
 




Resource Title
Key Skills in Context

What are key skills?
The genesis for key skills was employers' concern that young recruits do not have the general skills needed to become effective employees. The skills identified as absent encompassed more than basic literacy and numeracy. The ability to use skills in a wide range of contexts and to make qualified judgements was lacking.


 

Summary
This resource sets out to develop key skills at level three into contexts which are meaningful and realistic. It provides opportunities to explore, develop and capture the essence of key skills development - where education impacts upon the world of work and our personal lives.



Curriculum relevance
When questioned about delivery of key skills, over 58% of schools replying intend to use Key Skills in Context as the basis for specific key skills development whilst over 78% of respondents intend to use parts of the resource for integration within existing subject areas. This versatility ensures very wide usage of the resource across a range of curriculum subjects.

Age group/key stage
Post 16

Estimated student numbers
Over 490,000

Past participants
EDS, Nestlé, Prudential, Reuters

First edition distributed
2000

Benefits sought by participants

  • a high level of exposure to the next generation of school leavers
  • development of a positive image amongst tomorrow's consumers and employees
  • awareness building of major companies.

Feedback from teachers and students
"Industry related, real-life, relevant tasks."

"The fact that it is 'in context'. Key skills become more relevant and not an 'add-on'."

"For staff it helps greatly with lesson planning. For students it relates to their real world."

"Making skills learned in education relevant in terms of real experience."

"Modern, appealing format for Year 12."

From the questionnaire sent with each pack the following points were scored (max 5)

Tasks
3.84
Evidence
3.78
Sign Posting
3.72
Integration
3.60
Links
3.64
Additional Information
3.58
Overall
3.69

Quotes from clients
"As an international company, delivering financial information and news exclusively through information technology we fully support initiatives to develop communication, numeracy and IT skills. They are key for our future employees - today's students."
Reuters

"This example of public/private co-operation in providing educational resources for all is something we would wish to develop further. It highlights the commitment from all to ensuring that the future workforce are effective communicators who are able to use number and information technology where appropriate in what they do."
Lorraine Wilson,
Development Advisor Learning and Skills Development Agency

www.keyskillssupport.net/news/#certwider

Links
www.keyskillsincontext.co.uk