How professional services firms can help people like me with social mobility: Sophie Wilton

Apprenticeships are undoubtedly helping to enable social mobility where the firms are looking for raw talent, not factors such as what school you went to or what your parents do.

The reality is, though, that if you are from a disadvantaged background, the school you went to and the challenging family situations you find yourself in can have a massive impact on future prospects.

I know from personal experience how financial hardship combined with tough personal circumstances can adversely impact on a young person’s education and self-confidence.

Despite the challenges I faced, it was a conversation with a tutor at school who made me aware of legal apprenticeships when I thought apprenticeships were only for trades.

That conversation ultimately led me to securing a place on the Gordons Law Apprenticeship, which was the first legal apprenticeship scheme of its type in the UK when it was launched in 2011.

I think there is still much more to be done to ensure social mobility within the professions, so that they can become truly representative of wider society.

My experience, and that of other young people I speak to from similar backgrounds, is there is still a big lack of awareness of apprenticeship opportunities within professional services.

My view is that firms need to be more proactive in how they reach young people in disadvantaged areas via the schools that serve them. The schools also need to be receptive to approaches from the firms so that they can come in and give talks and actively take part in careers fairs. At Gordons, I am part of a team working on this issue by talking to headteachers.

On a practical level, when firms are promoting apprenticeships to 16-18 year olds, I noticed many of them would say that the salary was “competitive”.

For young people, especially if they have come from disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring financial security is paramount, so the salary should always be given.

Similarly, when you are speaking to a person in a professional services firm about securing a job with them, you are acutely aware of how you look and sound.

Perhaps you don’t have the right accent, or are conscious that you don’t speak as eloquently. You worry about how you might be perceived and that can make you appear nervous when, in fact, you want to do your very best.

Those recruiting should be aware of this, and also of any unconscious bias towards a candidate who doesn’t necessarily have the smart business clothes of those that can afford them.

Another consideration for those involved in the recruitment process is assuming young people have access to equal levels of outside support for their applications.

With disadvantaged applicants, it is likely they will have little direct exposure to other professionals within family or social circles. This was something that concerned me when applying and, for some applicants, it can leave them feeling isolated.

Although you can do research, your ability to discover more about the role can be limited due to other factors. I had to work extra hours to supplement household income and had a lack of access to basics like Wi-Fi and a home laptop.

Businesses should recognise this and consider providing extra insights to applicants. For example, this could be how to identify and describe transferable skills from your lived experience to the workplace.

These types of insights can also be shared directly with schools, supporting applicants earlier in the recruitment process.

Beyond the recruitment process, firms should also explore providing the right levels of professional and pastoral support.

This is again acute for disadvantaged applicants who may find their first day in a completely alien environment more daunting than others and a major source of anxiety.

If firms consider these points, they will have taken further major strides in helping those who previously would not have considered a career in professional services the opportunity to access one and thrive.

The fact is social mobility is hugely important not just for professional services, but for UK plc. We should always encourage and support those with the right attitude, aptitude and determination to succeed to become the very best they can be, no matter what their background. This has been my experience so far at Gordons.

Sophie Wilton is a legal apprentice at law firm Gordons