The global financial crisis and resulting slowdown have created the toughest economic conditions in the UK for decades. The situation has highlighted the challenges faced by young people seeking careers at a time of widespread unemployment, as well as the role of schools, colleges and employers in preparing Britain’s youth to meet these challenges.

Career Academies UK is a registered charity that works with over 900 employers and 120 schools and colleges to raise the aspirations of 16-19 year old students. The organisation has led what it calls “a quiet revolution in the ways in which employers and educationalists are working in partnership to prepare the next generation for adult life.”

Independently recognised for brilliant business and education brokerage, Career Academies UK is the first national organisation to receive the Award for Education Business Excellence. According to the Award assessors, the Institute for Education Business Excellence: "Career Academies UK is clearly a strong organisation... It is valued by stakeholders both for the quality of its delivery, the professionalism of its staff and the creativity of its approach, clearly making a positive difference to the education and employment agendas."

“Career Academy students are middle achieving and come primarily from areas of social need,” explains Ayesha Patel, Career Academies UK’s Development Manager for London and the South East.  “All of the students have made the decision to stay on in further education and have applied and been selected to participate on the Career Academy programme which supplements their A-Level equivalent curriculum.”

The programme consists of an optional mentoring scheme; workshops and talks delivered by volunteers either in school, college, or in the workplace; and a six week, paid internship.

“Supporting employers are able to participate in any or all aspects of the wider Career Academy programme, dependent upon their capacity, but every student must take part in a paid six week internship, or its equivalent, in order to graduate from the Career Academy programme,” says Patel.

Almost 85% of Career Academy graduates go on to higher education, or an equivalent level of work-related training.  According to employers involved in the programme, staff who participate have been assisted to not only become leaders in the communities they serve but also to improve their skills in coaching and managing people through employee volunteering. Employers, in turn, have an opportunity to develop an employability pipeline that will eventually lead to a more diverse employee base as well as develop their corporate social responsibility practice in a manageable way.

A key part of the Career Academy programme is the mentoring it offers to students. The Partners in Business mentoring scheme is an 18 month 1 to 1 mentoring programme that takes young people out of their comfort zone and into the workplace to meet their ‘Partners in Business’ once every six weeks or so, a total of ten meetings.

The mentoring relationship, says Ayesha Patel, brings a host of benefits to the young people on the programme. “On the whole, our students will come from backgrounds where they do not have access to informal networks of people that can give them advice and guidance on possible future pathways in terms of career and higher education,” she explains.

“By sharing experience and expertise, as well as exposing students to their own work, sector and history, volunteers are able to help young people develop confidence, raise their aspirations and increase their networking skills, among others. The students also need help and support in developing social skills and a sense of workplace etiquette.”

Specifically, Partners in Business can help students with UCAS (University) applications, applications for their Career Academy internships, skills in time management and presentations, as well as with interview techniques through mock interviews, business literacy – spelling, punctuation and grammar - and the appropriate speech to use in the workplace

The mentoring meeting schedule is flexible and mentors and students have ownership of their relationship, meaning that they can schedule their meetings at times most convenient for both of them, says Patel.

“It also means that mentors and students, if they so wish, can communicate and meet more than just the minimum of ten times. These young people are often known as the ‘forgotten middle’ – those with the potential to stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace and will do so but only with the right nurturing and guidance; but will not always display this potential at first sight.”

Students learn a great deal from a mentor, that which they would not learn at school or at home. By having a one hour conversation with a student once every six weeks, a mentor can have a massive impact on a young person’s life chances.

Identifying mentors that reflect the range of students in Career Academies can prove a challenge, admits Patel.

“These young people are bright and, the majority of them in London and the South-East come from ethnic minority backgrounds, yet, most of the mentors are not,” she says.

“Whilst all of our mentors offer invaluable support, many of our students lack ethnic minority role models who can lead by example and who the students can relate to and aspire to emulate.”

Career Academies UK is particularly interested in hearing from professionals from ethnic minorities who would consider mentoring their students.

“Participation on the mentoring programme is certainly not without its challenges but the rewards are great – both from a personal perspective in giving back to the local community, but also from a professional development perspective,” says Ayesha Patel.

“Over 400 mentors currently participate on the ‘Partners in Business’ mentoring scheme in the London and South East region alone; and are given structured support both before and through the 18 months, with briefing materials and a handbook, which acts as a reference guide and tool to answer any frequently asked questions.”