By Andrew Kittell
Follow Andrew on Twitter or LinkedIn
With the winter holidays just ahead, ACS students and staff will soon celebrate in England, Qatar, and around the world. Here in North America, the travel schedule will slow, focusing on holiday-themed events hosted by our corporate, service-providing, and philanthropic partners.
Among these will be the events staged across America organised by the British-American Business Council (BABC), ACS's decades-long partner in the all-scholarship British Studies Summer Programme (British Studies), a residential study-travel experience for deserving and academically able youth.
Supporting Summer Study-travel for Highly Deserving American High School Students
For over 20 years, ACS has co-sponsored all-expenses-paid scholarships for British Studies, an immersive summer course exploring Great Britain's history and cultural contributions to the world. This two-week residential experience is organised and hosted by subject matter expert teachers at our Cobham campus.
The current programme supports 20 students - we are aiming to double this to 40 students with the help of ACS International Schools in America, Inc., an alumni-led non-profit organisation supporting the work of ACS around the world. To this end we are launching an appeal to the members of the worldwide ACS community to raise funds for 20 additional scholarships, including donations from our friends and colleagues in the global mobility industry.
Selected British Studies scholars are American high-school juniors, demonstrating financial need, and outstanding academic records. They are located across the US, including today's scholar-sending cities of Los Angeles, Houston, Charlotte, Washington, DC, Baltimore, and New York. Many have found their two weeks shared in the UK life changing, generally their first-ever trip abroad.
If you'd like to learn more about British Studies and ACS in America's scholarship appeal, please follow the links above and the instructions for making a donation benefiting the next generation during this season of giving.
British Ambassador to the United States Supports All-Scholarship ACS Summer Programme
British Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch (center) with BABC leaders and ACS British Studies Scholars from Washington, DC, Baltimore, Maryland, and Charlotte, North Carolina
The British-American Business Association of Washington, DC will host its annual Christmas lunch on Friday, December 14th at the Fairmont Hotel. The guest of honour will be British Ambassador to the United States Sir Kim Darroch. Since arriving in Washington, DC in 2016, Sir Kim and Lady Vanessa Darroch have supported the all-scholarship British Studies Summer Programme, hosting an annual end-of-summer drinks party at the official residence.
Their efforts aptly recognise deserving students who have completed the two-week British Studies course and help fund future all-expenses-paid scholarships for deserving DC students selected for summer study at our ACS Cobham campus. Lady Vanessa is especially supportive, having taught in the past at both ACS Hillingdon and ACS Egham.
Insights shared during North America's leading autumn global mobility conferences
The Canadian Employee Relocation Council (CERC) and US-based Worldwide ERC organise North America's largest gatherings of global talent development and mobility professionals. As is always the case, CERC's conference precedes Worldwide ERC's Global Workforce Symposium (GWS).
There were some consistent themes shared during both. First at CERC this September in Montreal, significant programme time was dedicated to disruptive technologies and the impact they may have on the relocation industry, in some cases forcing further consolidation and new and still-emerging business models.
This theme continued during the GWS in Seattle, home to Amazon, one of America's leading and some would argue most disruptive technology companies.
Another conference constant was mention of the still-being-waged war for talent. When employees have options, they will compare offers. Recent reports from the Wall Street Journal suggest that, at least in North America's low unemployment labour market, corporations are sweetening relocation benefits and allowances with the aim of attracting the best people away from competitors.
For employees with families and school-age children, educational funding remains a top-of-mind priority. Since its beginning now more than 50 years ago, ACS International Schools has supported these types of cross-border relocations.
Look for ACS on the Road in 2019
During early 2019, the ACS North American Office team will attend regional events focused on talent development and mobility as well as a major London-based fundraiser.
First up will be the Bay Area Mobility Management (BAMM) Annual Conference near San Francisco. One of the best-attended forums developed by one of the most forward-thinking associations, BAMM's annual event attracts 600 + and this year will be held Wednesday, February 20th.
http://www.mybamm.org/Events/Annual-Conference
A weekend later, ACS International Schools' community will gather in London's fabled Guild Hall for a first-ever three-school Charity Gala. The event will support our students and our world-class academics and facilities, all with an aim to broadening access for deserving and highly talented young people from the UK, USA, and around the world.
More details about these events and other ACS North American Office 2019 travel commitments will be announced via LinkedIn and Twitter.