City Employers Launch New Skills Programme For Tower Hamlet Teenagers
Left to right: SkillForce instructor Phil Hind with Mulberry Academy Shoreditch students Ruben Novo Rodriguez, 16, Zami Nizam Uddin, 17, Muhib Uddin, 16, Mohammed Abdul Khaled, 16, and Yasmeen Ahmed Mohamed, 16. Photo: Ben Stevens
Left to right: Emma Brown, Volunteer Programme Executive, British Airways, with Mulberry Academy Shoreditch students Abzol Hussain Miah, 16, and Abid Ahmed, 17. Photo: Ben Stevens
Teenagers in Tower Hamlets are taking part in a new education programme backed by corporate heavyweights to boost their career prospects and employability skills.
Sixty pupils from four schools in East London are completing the SkillForce Your Future programme that helps young people transition from school into employment.
Aimed at 16 and 17-year-olds, the programme was officially launched this week, on Thursday, November 26th, at Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, Gosset Street, one of four secondary schools taking part.
The Your Future programme is delivered by instructors from the national education charity SkillForce, which supports young people in 200 primary and secondary schools in England, Scotland and Wales, preparing them for their next steps in education, work or training,
SkillForce is set to expand its work in schools and recruit more ex-Services personnel following a £1.6 million budget boost over the next three years. The announcement was made as part of the Chancellor George Osborne’s Spending Review, on November 25th.
Ben Slade, Chief Executive, SkillForce, said: “We work with schools nationally to transform lives. This new pilot programme aims to help young people develop character, self confidence and resilience as well as team building, problem solving and leadership skills to get on in education, work and life. We are delighted that some of London’s major corporate employers are supporting the scheme.”
Mark Keary, Principal, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch, said: “We are delighted to be involved in SkillForce’s Your Future launch programme at Mulberry Academy Shoreditch. We know our students will greatly benefit from the programme; working with SkillForce instructors and the experience, work-based challenges and contacts they will make with international employers and corporate partners. The timing of the launch is impeccable as it is youth social action week at the academy and our students have been involved in honing the same skills as this new pilot programme to create positive change in their community now.”
Pupils spend one day a week on the 24-week pilot programme, which is funded by J.P. Morgan, through the JPMorgan Chase Foundation, and gain a recognised qualification on completion. Student Abid Ahmed, 17, said: “It’s great to find out more about the world of work, and what we need to do to get on in our careers.”
Employers British Airways, Citigroup, Gordon Dadds and Rathbone Brothers Plc are backing the scheme providing employability activities at school and in the workplace. The Inspiring Futures Foundation is delivering careers advice and guidance, and the programme content and design has been developed with the support of OCR.
The programme provides support with job searches and information on careers, further education courses, training and apprenticeships as well as advice on interview and personal presentation skills and work experience opportunities. Pupils will host a networking lunch for their employers, complete a work-based challenge and take part in mock interviews where employers will be on the panel.
