The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry Commercial Education Trust (CET) is dedicated to enhancing 'Commercial Ability' among young people in the UK, preparing them for the workplace and contributing to society and the economy. Recognising a gap in nationwide initiatives for comprehensive skills development, CET commissioned a study by Pye Tait in 2020 to explore the feasibility of a competency framework for improving commercial education.
Commercial Education, as defined by CET, includes business know-how, attitudinal and behavioural skills, essential transferable skills, life basics like literacy and numeracy, and specific workplace know-how. Despite various programs addressing these elements, there's no unified approach or standard for evaluating young people's commercial abilities.
The feasibility study, conducted amidst the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, involved surveys of employers, educators, parents/carers, comprehensive research, stakeholder interviews, and workshops. It revealed a strong consensus on the strategic importance of commercial education for the UK's youth.
Employers highlighted a lack of real-world understanding, appropriate workplace behaviors, and motivation in recruits, stressing the need for better commercial education. Educators, while acknowledging their role in commercial education, pointed out gaps in their experience and sought support for embedding these skills in the curriculum. Parents and carers also recognized the importance of commercial education, especially in developing skills like self-motivation, teamwork, and resilience.
The study suggests integrating Commercial Education into existing curricula, emphasising cross-curricular embedding of relevant skills. It also proposes the creation of a competency framework to guide educators, align with existing initiatives, and provide a structure for assessing commercial abilities.
Work experience was identified as crucial for providing real-world context, with suggestions to improve current systems. Additionally, the concept of a Digital Record of Achievement was discussed to link educational and extracurricular activities and provide a valuable tool for young people and employers.
In summary, the study underscores the need for a structured approach to commercial education, involving a competency framework and embedded curricular elements, to enhance the commercial abilities of UK's youth, benefiting individuals, businesses, and the broader economy.
