OAL takes part in Social Mobility Pledge
OAL has recently contributed to a new social mobility report produced by our partner, the University of Lincoln, and led by Rt Hon Justine Greening MP, who pioneered the Social Mobility Pledge.
Justine Greening with the University of Lincoln report
The new report outlines the impact of the partnership between the University of Lincoln, food industry employers and local schools in the Holbeach area in supporting social mobility and describes how this ecosystem of opportunity has helped to transform the options open to local children over the past decade.
The Social Mobility Pledge was set up by Justine Greening, then Secretary of State for Education, in 2018 to work alongside businesses and universities to tackle regional disparities and ensure there are opportunities for all. As Greening states in her foreword to the report, the University of Lincoln “has truly stepped into that wider role of a ‘levelling up university’, addressing issues that are relevant to its region’s problems and, through its own investment and effort, creating opportunities that link in with the expertise of the local area.”
The University of Lincoln sponsors the Lincolnshire Educational Trust, an academy trust of local primary, secondary and special educational needs schools based in Holbeach and surrounding villages in South Holland, as well as running a major education, training, and industrial R&D facility in Holbeach – the National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM). The centre serves the skills and innovation needs of the UK's £110bn food and drinks sector, connecting local schools with a global industry and creating a new pipeline of talent for the sector. This is where OAL’s apprentices study and where we house our Steam Infusion & APRIL Robotics test centre.
OAL is a University of Lincoln project partner, offering a path into the workplace from the University and achieving great results for both the individuals and our company, as can be seen in our case study in the report. Samantha Norman, Director at OAL, took part in a round table discussion with Justine Greening, members of the University of Lincoln and other employer partners at the virtual launch event on 3 November 2020.
“We were delighted to take part in this report tackling such an important issue. It’s great to see the success of apprenticeships and how they can help people to overcome the ‘opportunity deficit’, both in terms of learning at the University and the support and development on offer as part of the team at OAL. We look forward to working with the University of Lincoln to support more young people in the future. ”
We’re committed to supporting the next generation getting into the world of work and developing the skills they need to thrive, whatever their background. The University has worked with the community and employers like OAL to raise aspirations and attainment, enhance educational opportunities, support businesses and create pathways for local people into highly-skilled employment and we’re very proud to partner with them.
