Founders4Schools comes to Scotland

RookieOven works hard to create a better startup community in Scotland and we strongly feel a large part of this is taking time to foster the next generation of tech talent. We do this with our Academy programmes that have run over the past 12 months but we're alway eager to see more happening to inspire young people and give them fresh opportunities they otherwise wouldn't have.

Founders4Schools is an an award-winning charity connecting pupils with business leaders to increase youth employability. They're working hard to inspire young people across the UK and thats why, as a startup founder, I have just signed up to Founders4Schools to give one hour to inspire pupils at a local school.

Getting ready for work

The Founders4Schools mission is to inspire students and prepare them for the rapidly changing world of work by enabling teachers to invite business leaders into the classroom. Founders4Schools realise time is precious for teachers and make this process as quick and painless as possible. The aims to hook founders up with a school in just 4 minutes.

Founders4Schools is a free service, connecting teachers with leaders of successful growing businesses in their community.

The thinking is that young people hearing from people like myself and other founders on their doorstep means a world of difference and helps teachers seeking to have conversations with their pupils about their career pathway.

This is backed up with research showing that pupils with four encounters with employers are 86% less likely to become NEET (not in employment, education or training) and earn 18% more.

What can you do?

Founders4Schools need founders across Scotland to do two things. Firstly please sign up and add yourself to their community of founders willing to spend an hour in a local school.

Secondly get your peers involved. Reach out to founders in your network and encourage them to likewise give back to the next generation.

As business owners we can't sit back and wait for skills gap to bite back and leave our businesses languishing behind.

Founders4Schools is aiming to sign up 1,000 more volunteer speakers before school’s out for summer. Let’s help them get there!