International commerce in the classroom for state school students.

Employees working in international trade and commerce are to return to the classroom in state schools and colleges to inform students about careers in global businesses and international trade opportunities and encourage them to consider jobs in this growing sector.

Individuals who work in international trade or commerce, from interpreters to market analysts, linguists to civil servants, will volunteer for workshops designed to show Year 12 students the wealth of jobs available and the skills they need to succeed in such fields.

The £30,000 Commerce in the Classroom scheme run by the education charity Future First and funded by the Commercial Education Trust will take place over the next academic year. It will focus on state schools and colleges in Norfolk, Sussex and Cambridgeshire, areas where the government feels social mobility is poor.

Employers whose organisations trade internationally are encouraged to register to sign up to the volunteer network. They will then receive updates of future volunteering opportunities in schools and colleges in their local area.

David Coughtrie, Chairman of the Commercial Education Trust (CET), said:

“At the Commercial Education Trust we believe it is essential to foster commercial and business intelligence in all young people – from primary school through to further and higher education and into early years at work.  By investing in Future First’s initiative to bring commerce into the classroom, we look forward to seeing the development of a new generation of young traders, well-positioned to spot and manage the career opportunities in international trade which lie ahead.”

Natalie Marshall, Head of Innovation and Learning at Future First, said:

‘International commerce is a rapidly growing sector which offers a wealth of interesting opportunities young people may not know about. Young people cannot be what they cannot see and talking to those involved in the field will expose current students to the range of job opportunities available internationally and dispel misconceptions about who can succeed in them.’

The new initiative builds on Future First’s existing work helping more than a thousand British state schools and colleges to harness the talents and experience of alumni to support current students as relatable career and education role models, work experience providers, mentors, governors and fundraisers.