Hovis helps students to use their loaf.

Hovis have been helping students at Alder Community High School to develop enterprise skills.

Thanks to generous funding from Hovis, Bright Futures, a national company, ran an Enterprise event for Year 9 students. The workshop covered those key employability skills needed for success in the workplace, such as effective communication, risk taking, team work and problem solving: all skills needed in “can-do” people who can “make things happen”.

Students said afterwards that it had been an excellent session and they had learned lots that would help them. James said: ”it was a great day and made me think a lot about what I’d like to do when I leave school” and Rachel said: “I wasn’t looking forward to it to be honest but I ended up really enjoying it because I learnt a lot.”

Hovis, part of Premier Foods, made the commitment after making the decision to invest into some of their local communities. Alder Community High School have thanked Hovis for choosing their school and making this possible for their students.

Neil Rowland, the Co-ordinator at Alder Community High School, said:

“This was a brilliant programme. Our students responded very positively indeed and many of them said how much better prepared they now feel for entering the world of work. We are very grateful indeed to Hovis for sponsoring this programme.”

Mr. O'Regan, the headteacher at Alder said:

“This is a fine example of partnership between the public and private sectors. As a result of this co-operation between Hovis and Bright Futures, our students at Alder Community High School have benefitted.”)

Hovis, commented: “It is vitally important for our own industry and for our country’s economic recovery that students get the maximum benefit from their education. To be successful in the future, good exam results are important, but young people will also need to develop those key employability skills of teamwork, problem solving, customer care and effective communication. What we like about the Bright Futures’ programme is that it introduces young people to all these elements.”

If other organisations would like to make a similar investment into schools, they are encouraged to contact Matt Watson, Managing Director of Bright Futures at www.brightfutures-experience.com or on 07515 775 229.