Internship investment funding for SMEs and charities

We’re proud to provide an Internship Investment Fund to enable eligible employers to host young people for paid internships during the summer holidays

Transforming young lives has never been so straightforward.

find out more

Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch

Internship investment funding for SMEs and charities

We’re proud to provide an Internship Investment Fund to enable eligible employers to host young people for paid internships during the summer holidays.

Transforming young lives has never been so straightforward.

find out more

Fill in the form below and we’ll be in touch

What we’re doing

Levelling up young talent

SMEs and charities are the backbone of local communities and can be powerful drivers in levelling up young talent, with paid internships at local businesses proven to boost young people’s workplace skills and localised social mobility.

Yet many of these organisations face resource barriers when it comes to creating workplace opportunities for young people.

That’s why we’re proud to be launching Internship Investment Funding for SMEs and charities with 10 or more employees to help make this possible for them.

Eligible employers can apply to utilise funding to host a young person on the Career Ready programme for a paid, four-week internship in July and August 2024.

decline in social mobility predicted from pandemic learning loss.

those from more affluent backgrounds are 80% more likely to have a professional job.

of young people think that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their career prospects.

Apply for funding

of students rated their skills a strength by the end of the programme, up from 60%

of interns said their internship had a positive impact on their life

of employers would hire their Career Ready intern

decline in social mobility predicted from pandemic learning loss.

those from more affluent backgrounds are 80% more likely to have a professional job.

of young people think that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their career prospects.

Before my Career Ready internship, I didn't know about the career opportunities in my area. Without Career Ready I would have most definitely move away from home and worked somewhere else. This is not something I wanted to do, I just thought it was the choice I had.

Emily Clark, Career Ready Alumna

The UK ranks amongst the lowest for social mobility in developed countries. It's why we need to make sure social mobility is taken seriously, and that all of us – employers, policy makers, educators, charities – work together to change outcomes for young people.

Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa, CEO, Career Ready

How it works

Internship Investment

Our internships are held in the summer holidays between schools years 12/13 and the funding will ensure that young people, aged 16-18, can be paid at the UK Living Wage for four weeks (35 hours per week).

Funding is available to employers with 10 or more employees and with the capacity to host a young person for a four-week period.

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Get in touch by filling in our short form at the bottom of this page
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We’ll be in touch to discuss how we can partner together to support young talent
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Connect with young talent across the UK and help them to kickstart a rewarding future
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We provide support and insights into the life-changing impact you’re making to young lives

Hosting an intern was a win-win. We were able to gain valuable insight into the potential of young people, and our intern was able to gain valuable experience of the world of work.

Keith Nichol, Commercial Director, KMF Precision Sheet Metal Limited

faqs

decline in social mobility predicted from pandemic learning loss.

those from more affluent backgrounds are 80% more likely to have a professional job.

of young people think that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their career prospects.

Formal interview process

Predefined JDs and project examples

Blend of office based and remote working

Payroll covered by Career Ready

Let's get started

FAQs

What commitment would I be expected to make as an employer?

One of the objectives of the fund is to help us develop sustainable partnerships. This means we consider the level and strength of a relationship in giving the funded places and the appetite for supporting us in the future. Ideally, we would be looking for you to cover 25% to 50% of the cost of the internship. A whole range of circumstances can affect the amount you may be able to contribute and the amount we can accept and so this should be part of a conversation with your Career Ready point of contact. In addition, we would be looking for you to support us with a paid internship and mentor in 2024, again there is some flexibility around this and so would benefit from a conversation. Please see the table below which outlines the costs to you.

We would also like every employer who uses the funding to complete a case study at the end of the internship.

Internship Wage Rates

How long should an internship be?

Our preference is for the internship to be our gold standard of four weeks. However, there is some flexibility around that. if you provide a case for a shorter but a high-quality internship AND you can commit to supporting us in some way next year then we can accept an internship of two weeks minimum.

What is the rate of pay?

We will pay students £11.44 per hour which is in line with the National Living Wage. This is what we encourage employers to pay but as a minimum they have to pay in line with the government guidance on minimum wage which can be found here.

Can I apply for this fund if my organisation is a charity?

Yes, we welcome applications from charities

What due diligence checks would we be subject to as an employer applying to this fund?

The following checks are made before committing to a partnership using this fund:

• Your organisation has been trading for a minimum of three years and has a headcount of at least 10 people
• You have Employers Liability Insurance, a Health and Safety policy and can provide a risk assessment for a young person
• An understanding that you are responsible for the on-boarding process including any Right to Work checks
• You have premises that they work from e.g. an established office or shared hub space
• It is also essential that the supervisor attends one of our internship briefings.

If I am accepted onto the funded programme what will the next steps be?

You will be contacted by a Career Ready Regional Manager who will guide you through the next steps and signpost you to all the information you will need. The first job will be to provide a job description for your intern no later than 31 March 2024.

In what way would I be expected to support Career Ready next year?

The primary ask is for employers to provide us with an internship and mentor in 2025. If this is not possible, we could look at other ways in which you could support.

Does my organisation need to be a certain size to access this fund?

At this time we are unable to work with micro businesses with less than 10 employees.

Can these internships start later than the suggested 8th July?

Yes, but once schools and colleges are closed for summer it can be increasingly difficult to maintain contact with students and staff. Any later start dates should be discussed with a Career Ready member of staff.

Can I take on more than one student?

Yes, in fact there are benefits for a small number of students working at one organisation. Please, however, be mindful of how sustainable this is and whether you are likely to be able to provide the same level of support on-going and also ensure students are provided with a high quality experience.