Renishaw -
Rednock School
With headquarters in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, Renishaw plc designs and manufactures high precision metrology equipment for use in a wide range of industries. Over 90% of its revenues are derived from overseas sales and Renishaw prides itself on the expert service and responsive support it offers wherever its customers are located around the world.
Language links important
Renishaw was paired with Rednock School in Dursley, Gloucestershire. From September study visits are being planned, along with a school visit, work experience placements and a demonstration of how their translation memory software works.
In an initial meeting with the school, Jo Simpson from Renishaw was able to show Deborah Seddon from Rednock School, which languages the company uses and how they use them to break down language and cultural barriers to overseas trading. Deborah feels this has already helped her enormously in her classes where she is able to now explain how a local company is using languages on a daily basis.
Deborah said that : "Just being involved in the BLC pilot scheme has enabled Rednock School to give language learning a higher status as their students have become more aware of the need for communication skills in a company which is just around the corner from them. With the growing tendency to drop languages at KS4 I feel it is vitally important to make students aware of the desperate need for linguists in business and that it is a useful skill.
Jo Simpson said:" Links with industry are usually with science/engineering departments, so it is particularly important for the company to forge a link with different discipline, and this gave us the opportunity to demonstrate how in a business environment, having language skills can really benefit your career."
Renishaw also provided the school with authentic materials which Deborah hopes to be able to incorporate into future lessons.
