Guest posting to voced-coord email list. Item 8 of 10:

Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1998 16:01:39 +1100
To: voced-coord@owl.qut.edu.au
From: Richard_Laidlaw@astf.com.au
Subject: Can you please build me a cupboard?

Hi Everyone

Thanks for letting me invade the airways for the last few days.

It's been really interesting to get responses both to the list and to me personally. As many people have commented directly, we should take some pride from the efforts to date, we have made gains in building not only an understanding of workplace learning but also a commitment, but there are some other parts of the School-to-Work Jigsaw that need to be put into the game so that the process fits together really smoothly.

Many schools and communities are pushing their school-to-work process to the limit. Some of the students in a building program in Potsdam are so desperate to use their newly acquired skills that as well as their school off job training, their time in the workplace, they are offering their services to people who are needy in the community. Rather than (as the students put it) "just making things at school for our parents", they work with social workers who identify needy families - usually the elderly - and meet with the people to see what they can build for them. One student had just made a small wooden stool, others were making shelves for rooms, one girl was pushing herself to finish a new door for a lady in time for her birthday. The students don't charge, and with supervision they sit down with the people and develop a design brief, make a model for their client and then produce the work.

A school outside Boston has moved into the money making venture area, and has taken over the catering contract for the school. Students have taken over the cafeteria, and work in the kitchen in their training time to produce food for the school. They have also opened a restaurant which is open to the public and charges $7.00 (plus tips of course) for a three course meal. The restaurant is usually booked out one week ahead.

Another group of students have taken over the school merchandising area, selling the rulers, books,clothes paper and pen needs from a small shop in the school. They prepared a business plan, went to the bank, and bought out the existing owner and have doubled turnover in six months. The finance teacher and the students enrolled in banking and accounting have taken over the franchise management of the local credit union. The franchise is going great guns, the students are employed by the credit union for the hours they work, they have employed a manager from the Credit Union who trains the students. Nearly all of the students in the school have opened an account and have their part-time work wages paid directly in.

There is just one group in the school reluctant to use the Credit Union. The teachers are worried about the students knowing how much money they have in their accounts.

Have a good Easter break, and start filling out your applications for a Churchill Fellowship.

Richard Laidlaw