Business Stream first partnered with Career Ready in 2019 – bringing opportunities for mentoring and paid internships to young people in Edinburgh.
Head of Environmental, Social and Governance, Sophia Goring, shares their experience from an employer perspective.
“Career Ready is an incredible charity. While the purpose of the programme is to help young people, it offers so much more,” says Sophia.
“Initially, we got involved because of our early aspirations to do more to provide opportunities for young people. It was completely new to us. Then in our first year of being involved, we also had to navigate the logistical demands of the pandemic, pivoting the entire work placement to online at a time when we were still adjusting.
“This perhaps cemented our commitment to the programme further, as we saw first-hand just how challenging life can be for young people – entering the world of work, with little to no experience and sometimes without the right home structures to help.”
Benefits on both sides
Since 2019, Business Stream’s support for Career Ready has grown. Now, they connect a minimum of five students each year with a mentor and paid internship.
“The benefits to young people are evident,” says Sophia. “The confidence and skills they gain through the mentoring programme and four-week paid placement are undeniable.
“What’s perhaps surprised us more is the benefit we’ve gained as an employer.
“It’s provided opportunities for individual colleagues to give back; to gain coaching skills; to diversify their skillset; and to feel part of such an impactful programme.
“While the students have learned a lot from us, we’ve learned from them too. We’ve used the opportunity to gain their insights on how we can better attract young people into our industry; we’ve asked for their help to develop fundraising ideas for our charities; and we’ve developed our early careers programme to now incorporate Foundation Apprenticeships, supported by Career Ready.
“We’ve been so impressed with the students we’ve supported, with some even returning to us to do a Modern Apprenticeship or to become full-time employees.”
Creating a real impact
“For businesses, like ours, committed to delivering social value – or even for those who haven’t considered it before, the programme provides the support, network and guidance to deliver meaningful impact to young people (with the only cost being the student’s four-week placement).
“It helps to tackle social mobility, it supports the need to build a skilled workforce for the future and it gives hope to young people who may not otherwise get this type of opportunity.”
Sophia has also volunteered as a mentor – which has brought its own benefits.
“On a personal level, Career Ready allows me to spend time doing something I love,” she adds. “I know life can be tough for young people and I’ve always believed that we should look beyond the often negative stereotypes to give them a chance, which as businesses we’re in a fantastic position to do so.
“If you have a social value programme in place and aren’t yet working with Career Ready or if this is an area you’ve never explored, please do. The programme needs more businesses to support demand and there’s so much to be gained from getting involved.”
