A JOINT business and education learning project targeting under performing secondary school pupils in Craven has received a £6,000 kickstart fund from Craven Counts regeneration fund.

Aireville School, Skipton, is to pilot the project which aims to give lower achieving pupils the chance to gain practical experience in the workplace and learn work related skills.

This initiative will be the final phase in the school's already established work programme which offers life skills courses and a set of NEAB accredited units.

Deputy head Ian Birkett said this was the first time the school had applied for external funding but it felt that the scheme could be developed to motivate less academic pupils and be used by other Craven schools.

He added: "We have like many schools a number of pupils who we feel could achieve more with more motivation."

The two-year pilot project which will cost £20,000 will establish a forum of local employers and training providers to work with the school. The forum's role will be to give advice on what local employers look for in their staff, and it may also be involved in some of the pupils' work experience blocks.

"The idea is for them to see what the employer requirements are for pupils when they leave. Work training will then equip pupils better for the transition from school to work.

"It is essential that the final scheme is seen as valuable to employers, the education sector and most of all, the future Craven residents," said Mr Birkett.

Initially the scheme will be aimed at 60 14 to 16-year-old pupils, rising to 90 in September. Mr Birkett said eventually he wanted to offer the work related learning scheme to younger pupils who had already started thinking about their career opportunities.

Caroline Taukulis, senior economic development officer at Craven District Council, said the scheme was different to the usual two weeks' work experience.

She said: "It is a revolutionary way of doing work experience and building relationships." She added that it would encourage these students to look forward to going into work, or help them decide on any courses they may want to do.

The scheme has already won support from the county council, North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership, North Yorkshire Training and Enterprise Council and the Careers Education and Guidance Services.

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