Work Experience Day is here
Occupiers across Paradise have been opening their doors to Year 10 students for a day of immersive work experience and learning at a pivotal time in their educational journey.
By Caroline Rudge, estate operations manager at Paradise Birmingham
With four schools and 60 students taking part, the work experience day included pupils from King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy, Tile Cross Academy, Bordesley Green Girls School and Aston Manor Academy schools.
Practical sessions included meet and greet followed by speed networking, career workshops and team building activities.
Workplace tours and workshops were held with a range of occupiers from the Paradise estate, namely AtkinsRéalis, CBRE and Quilter Cheviot.
This year’s Work Experience Day was the largest event of its kind between the estate, its occupiers, and local schools, with the year-round Paradise Unlocked programme now in its third year of activities.
By engaging with local school students as they begin to think about their future career choices, Paradise is exposing them to the world of work and the modern workplace.
Social Value specialist, Ahead Partnership, organises the programme on behalf of Paradise developer and asset manager Federated Hermes MEPC, and aims to strengthen the city’s talent pipeline while improving diversity, inclusion and social mobility.
Paradise is dedicated to having a positive wider social impact on society by supporting local communities and creating a wide range of employment, educational, charitable, voluntary and social engagement opportunities, as well as making the estate as sustainable as possible.
Crucially, the Work Experience Day exposed students to people in a diverse range of occupations in different organisations and encouraged students to ask questions and hear directly from those in different roles at different levels.
The programme provides students with tailored experiences that helps improve skills, confidence, and career awareness, while addressing sector-specific skills gaps and fostering a culture of inclusion.
The event also engages with younger employees from Paradise occupiers, helping students to relate to older peers’ and their work experiences.
Through sustained partnerships with the four schools, Paradise is engaging young people at four key educational stages from year eight to year eleven, with future plans also including post-16 engagement.
Each interaction is meant to build on the previous one, equipping students with the skills and knowledge to make informed choices about their future.
Research shows that young people who receive multiple engagements with employers during the course of their education are 86% less likely to be out of education, employment or training once they finish school.
With nearly one million young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK, the programme shows what can be achieved when positive action is taken by businesses in collaboration to equip young people with the skills and experience they need to succeed.