Mission to get pupils on the career ladder

According to critics, such as the centre-left think tank IPPR, internships can be used by wealthy families to give their children a head start in the jobs market. However, growing numbers of Yorkshire teachers believe internships will help their pupils reach the first rung of the career ladder, at a time when the economy is struggling and students heading for university face mounting debts.

In April, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg called on companies to allocate internships through open competition, rather than allocating them to students who are well-connected, as he launched the Government’s strategy on social mobility.

According to IPPR, interns should be paid a proper wage and be recruited on merit. Over the last four years, British Gas in Leeds has been involved in mentoring and internship programmes with students from Brigshaw High School and Garforth Academy, with help from Career Academies UK, a charity which aims to raise pupils’ aspirations. The programme has given pupils their first insight into the world of work.

British Gas has taken on four students from Brigshaw and Garforth for a six week summer internship in Leeds.

The students have worked on a number of projects, including an initiative to raise funds for the company’s charity of the year, Make A Wish, which grants wishes to children and young people who are fighting life-threatening illnesses.

The students have been set targets to prove they have developed their analytical skills. According to British Gas, this is all in line with policies devised by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, who has urged UK businesses to give young people a chance. There is still much to be done. Almost three in four young people believe the Government is not doing enough to help them into work, according to research published recently. A study by the Jack Petchey Foundation revealed that many youngsters believed they would have to work harder for success.

Two-fifths (40 per cent) thought businesses should be encouraged to offer internships, and more than a third (36 per cent) want to see more apprenticeships.

Alison Bush, the human resources manager at British Gas, who is based in New Bridge House, Leeds, believes the project with Career Academies UK provides long-term benefits for students and companies.

“It’s an academic programme which is supported by organisations, that can sit alongside the (school) curriculum and provide support with things like internships and individual mentoring, or anything the schools require that supports the curriculum for the students.”

The two-year British Gas programme includes a six-week paid internship. Ms Bush said: “Each manager they’re aligned to has to set objectives (for the students). They have projects they are expected to deliver over those six weeks. We want to make it as valuable and rewarding for them as it is for our people.”

Although many of the students who have taken part in the British Gas programme have gone on to higher education, university might not be the “natural pathway” for all students, Ms Bush said.

She added: “It gives them (employers) the chance to provide evidence of what they can offer, and help individuals to build their CVs. This isn’t just work experience – it’s very different. The student who I mentored in the first year, wouldn’t have gone to university if she hadn’t been on the mentoring programme.

“It was great to see her develop. She’s now doing a three-year business degree at Leeds Metropolitan University. We’re not the only employer involved. I sit on the local advisory board for Leeds and we work with other organisations, such as Leeds Building Society and KPMG (the accountancy firm). We need more employers to come on board with this.

“It’s an opportunity to give something back and support our education system and teachers.”

And what of the students?

Amy Smart, 17, from Brigshaw High School, who is among the latest batch of students to take part in the six-week programme, said: “I’ve learned about the importance of communication skills and how important customers are to the business.”

A career opportunity

Established in 2002, Career Academies UK is a registered charity which supports employers, schools and colleges, who are working together to raise the aspirations of 16 to 19-year-olds. More than 120 UK schools and colleges, predominantly in deprived urban areas, are involved in the programme.

Career Academies UK students follow a rigorous two-year programme alongside a curriculum equivalent to at least three A levels. This will help students to progress to higher education or the world of work. Three thousand employee volunteers from 900 organisations around the UK contribute time to Career Academies UK.

More than 2,800 students have graduated to date. Nearly 85 per cent of Career Academies UK students move on to university or into employment.