Previous – Book1 Page102 – Next
The back row boys are now sitting up and paying careful attention to every word that Mr Rafone says. He elaborates.
“Schools are funded exclusively by employers through the Work Impost. Because employers want employees. And if you want something you have to pay for it. This is over simplified but let’s consider it this way. Open up your book, page 87 of The Penrith Moral Compass.”
The Chamber collects the Work Impost on behalf of schools. It’s ring fenced, so it all comes in and all goes out again. It’s not a tax, and it’s not part of the government budget. However, the Chamber oversees the annual committee which determines the banding.
The bigger and better the employer, the more likely they are to want the best school leavers. It’s in their interests to contribute the most to schools, because that way, they’re more likely to get the best choice of graduates.
The big employers like the Medical Service and Lancastrian Lines employ lots of staff, so they pay band A. Places like Wolfland Wind & Water Power have lesser manpower needs, and they pay band B. The Ulverston Farming Collective pays band C.
The reality is a bit more complex, because some people will follow their instincts. Many carpenters for example are the sons and daughters of carpenters. Hence a freelance carpenter usually has to pay only band D Work Impost.
Career progression is not always clearly defined. Some of the best students might not want to be lawyers, or doctors, or engineers. There’s a two tier system in those fields, and to reach the top, newcomers need to join an employer who has a Research Institute. Less than 5% of the population end up in the top tier, and secure a Diplôme Supérieur. Some of the best students would rather just follow their passions. It’s all as much an art as it is a science!
Students who leave school with nothing, really have little choice, and they try to pick up any work they can, no matter how menial. That’s what happened to MaxChaos when he left school aged thirteen.
Previous – Book1 Page102 – Next