Businesses need to "step up" to help the government tackle the problem of long-term school absenteeism, says MAG CEO Ken O'Toole
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has been clear that tackling the UK's school "absence epidemic" is one of the Government's top priorities.
Latest figures show one in five children missed at least one day every fortnight, with 150,000 classed as "severely absent," missing at least every other day of school.
The Secretary of State is right to call this an emergency. As a business well plugged-in to the communities surrounding it, we hear those alarm bells loud and clear. In Wythenshawe, on the doorstep of Manchester Airport, there are some schools that have among the highest truancy rates in the country.
The absence epidemic is a complex problem, with multiple root causes. The measures the Government has proposed so far will help tackle many of them: penalties for parents, breakfast clubs, mental health support and a cap on uniform costs will undoubtedly make a difference, on their own and in combination.
But one thing missing from the list so far is the role of business – and it is my firmly held view we have a moral obligation to join the fight against this epidemic. There are three main reasons for that.
The first might sound self-serving but the reality is, as employers, we rely on talented young people making it onto the employment market with a burning desire to work for us.
But it is simply not right to assume that only those with particular privileges are the best fit for the jobs we will create, or deserve the right to carve out a long-lasting and fulfilling career for themselves.
There is talent everywhere and in everyone but, all too often, it remains locked away because of the challenges people face in their lives. If those challenges result in them slipping into a cycle of absenteeism, then it is a tragic reality that they may never make it to the employment market. It is a reality we must work together to change.
That leads me to the second role for business: creating purpose.
It is clear that when young people are inspired by the prospect of one day doing a job that excites them, then the chances of them being motivated to attend school are far greater. But we have to ask - what is it that will create that spark and give them that aspiration?
School-based careers education has come a long way since the days of dog-eared leaflets in stuffy libraries. It will serve many young people well but, for those already disengaged or not even attending school, it is unlikely to make the grade.
That is where businesses need to step up and play their part. We are the ones who can open young people's eyes to the real working world, and to the jobs and careers that will become their North Star. We are the ones that can give them that belief that they are capable of following their dreams.
At MAG, we have dedicated, aviation-themed classrooms at all our airports and every day, they welcome classes from surrounding schools. You only have to spend five minutes observing one of those sessions to know that many of the pupils in front of you will one day work for us.
Schools are already encouraged to forge links with employers through schemes like the Gatsby Benchmarks. It was pleasing to see Manchester City Council last week launch an initiative to link businesses with schools - but if the burden remains solely on schools, it is only half of the solution.
The Government should make it mandatory for businesses to provide real workplace experiences to youngsters of all ages – from primary school through to working age.
Amid an absence epidemic, waiting until they are in their teens could be too late to create a spark. If only a handful of employers want to engage, young people will only see a fraction of the opportunities that are out there.
Finally, I have seen first-hand how businesses can directly help remove barriers to school attendance, by providing additional support that over-stretched teachers simply aren't able to.
At MAG, this is part of our DNA. Through a charity we co-founded more than 20 years ago – BW3 - mentors give up their time to work with youngsters, helping them navigate issues of all shapes and sizes. They provide a set of ears that are different to those of their parents or teachers.
Business volunteers work as reading coaches, ensuring the stigma of poor reading and writing does not become the barrier that prevents school attendance.
And, as I write, we are developing a "digital work experience" initiative, bringing the excitement of aviation careers into young people's homes - another way in which barriers can be broken down by business.
I cite these examples not to pat ourselves on the back, but to hopefully inspire others to follow suit.
Businesses are part of the fabric of the communities they serve – that means when there is an emergency like the absenteeism epidemic the Education Secretary describes, we all have a role to play in tackling it.