Many companies and organisations find that working with schools can bring lots of direct and indirect benefits. These can be immediate and long term, ranging from improved communication skills amongst their staff, to raising the company profile in the community.

Here are just some of the reasons that companies of all sizes say that working with schools is important:

• It raises our company profile locally. By working in schools, students and parents see us as a good employer and a responsible company.
• It gives young people a better understanding of what we do, and in the long run makes us more able to attract people to work for us.
• It helps to raise awareness, not just of our company but of our sector, particularly at a time when fewer people are thinking of this area as a career.
• Our staff love doing it, it increases their enthusiasm for their job, and improves their communication skills along the way.
• Facing a class of students can be daunting, it has given our staff confidence in their abilities.
• It helps us to meet out Corporate Social Responsibility objectives.
• We like to think we are having an influence on the future workforce.

And some direct quotes from organisations who regularly work with us:

"Staff have seen their jobs enriched and their enthusiasm fired. They (EBP) have been unfaltering as facilitators and their input has been greatly appreciated by all involved"  - Pat Smith, Inland Revenue.

"I have no need of convincing of the benefit of this...I can see the difference this is making to our staff and their work"  - John Morley, BAE systems

"He's the best student we've ever had and he's restored my faith in the capabilities of young people"  - Mark Hammond, Company Director, Credit Cars UK Ltd.