Chiswick School Win Lord Mayor's 'Dragon' Award

Helps prepare students to take their place in the working world

At a ceremony at Mansion House this week, it was announced that Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work and Chiswick School’s collaborative Future Focus work experience programme, has won a Lord Mayor's Dragon Award in the Enterprise and Employment category, beating off stiff competition from KPMG and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Dragon Award winners are recognised both for the social and business benefits of being good corporate citizens.

Held annually, the Dragon Awards are an initiative of the Lord Mayor of London. Since they were founded in 1987, the Dragon Awards have attracted high quality applications from a variety of companies and public bodies throughout Greater London.

Dragon Award winners are recognised both for the social and business benefits of being good corporate citizens.
Over the course of the last two years this programme has resulted in almost 400 Chiswick students leaving mainstream 11-16 education with a recognised level 2 qualification in Work Related Learning; perhaps more importantly it is preparing Chiswick School students to confidently take their place in the world of work.

Over years 9 and 10 (aged 13-15) students are involved in the following activities:

• Online analysis of their individual strengths and weaknesses
• Tutoring in producing a professional letter of application and CV
• Interview preparation
• Positive use of body language and how to present at interview
• A speed networking event where students get 4 minutes per table to question Chiswick
park workers about their job, qualifications and how they got to their current role
The programme ends with a formal graduation ceremony held with business leaders and parents present at Chiswick Park.

Gemma McNeilis, Sustainability Manager for Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work said: "We are hugely honoured to have been recognised for our work experience programme with Chiswick School. Over the past 14 years we have developed a strong relationship with students and teachers at the school, and winning this prestigious award is testament to all the hard work that has gone into this programme from everyone involved. As a company Enjoy-Work is 100% committed to supporting local students to become the workforce of the future."

Tony Ryan, head teacher of Chiswick School was both surprised and delighted by the award. “To win this award against such prestigious competition is phenomenal. This is the result of a 4-year focus on providing Chiswick students with some of the most comprehensive work related training available in the country. Exam results are only half of the picture, to be truly successful students need to understand the world that they will work within and develop attributes so coveted by major employees. We are incredibly blessed in Enjoy Work we have an employer who sees the bigger picture and is willing to work closely with us to provide some amazing opportunities for our students.”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUwqpaUpA1I&index=2&list=UUBmtTLocKCa4hw2zp-iK9tg

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29454002

www.enjoy-work.com/news/enjoy_works_work_experience_programme_wins_a_dragon/

October 3, 2014