New company aims Bridge school / work space

AN enterprising duo from South Tyneside schools to help bridge the gap between the education and the workplace. Gaye Young and Alison Pressling inspire launches Smart Education Ltd after working as an associate at South Tyneside Education Business Partnership and, later, Venture Blue, part of the Newcastle Education Business Partnership. Faced with a plethora of keeping a number of funding cuts, they saw a business opportunity to bring the world of work in local schools and went about developing their new operation. Ms Young said: "The main objective of the Intelligent Inspire Education is to bring the industry into the classroom in a way that offers students and teachers an opportunity to bridge the gap between the commercial and education in a meaningful way. "Working with our extensive partner industry, we offer a level of primary and secondary schools the opportunity to inspire students with a custom set of initiatives that support the curriculum and the needs of each student. ' Business events such as Career Carousel, in which groups of employers in school to participate in the study in all areas of the world works, including career options and qualifications, as well as pathways to work. It also runs a series of programs on the job skills to enhance the aspirations of more than the required qualifications and instead look to connect with students in developing real life skills necessary for employers, such as problem solving and interview skills. Ms Young added: "One of our more popular initiatives was a regular travel industry, taking groups of students to different work environments for early work experience range of businesses, such as Nissan or BT - both major employers in the local area. ' Pair launches business advisory consulting firm after Judith Wheatley from TEDCO agent company. Ms Wheatley said: "Inspire Smart Education is a business that offers real value to schools, students and employers, and both Gaye and Alison clear from the start what they want the business to achieve. After connecting to the main business and the team helped to develop a strong business plan, Inspire Smart Education off to a great start "MS Pressling said:" The advice and support of Judith in TEDCO is very important. He is a mine of information and contacts in all areas related to support new business. "A new school board now come from other areas in the region, we hope to continue to keep in close touch with Judith for business guidance continues to grow."