The Talent Foundry, a leading social mobility charity helping young people from underserved backgrounds prepare for the world of work, and one of the UK’s largest water companies, Severn Trent, have joined forces to develop and deliver a new career readiness programme.
The new programme, designed for care-experienced Year 13 students, aims to help young people across Coventry and the West Midlands, boosting social mobility and providing opportunities they might not otherwise have. It will bring together students, Talent Foundry facilitators and Severn Trent team members at the Severn Trent Academy for four interactive workshops.
The Severn Trent Academy, launched in 2021, already runs a range of free virtual and face-to-face employability programmes for people across their regions. Partnering with The Talent Foundry, they are able to build on this existing offering to reach young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
With 35% of care leavers in England not in education, training or employment (NEET) at 19 years old, compared to the national average of 18% (NSPCC, 2024), this new programme addresses this inequality by giving care experienced young people the skills and confidence to take their next step into employment.
The new joint endeavour starts with the first cohort of students taking part in the employability programme from November. The programme covers key workplace skills, including application and interview skills. Additionally, Severn Trent employees will act as mentors, providing personalised support and sharing their insights into the world of work.
Students will be introduced to apprenticeship opportunities – both with Severn Trent and beyond – giving them a range of options for what to do after they leave school.
The Talent Foundry partners with a range of organisations to give students a broad view of potential future career paths, including technology, construction and healthcare. This new partnership with Severn Trent is the first utilities company they have worked with, offering students exciting new insights into this industry.
“We are so excited to launch this new partnership and innovative programme. We have combined our expertise delivering high-impact programmes for young people, and Severn Trent Academy’s strong commitment to its local community. Together, we are seeking to empower care-experienced young people build the skills and confidence to succeed in their future careers.” – Jenni Anderson, The Talent Foundry CEO.
“We are pleased to be working in partnership with The Talent Foundry, who share our commitment to creating life chances and opportunities for our community. Our combined dedication to supporting those who have faced more barriers to employment, will ensure a brilliant wrap around programme for these care experienced young people. We are really excited to equip them with tools needed to unlock their potential and support them on this journey!” – Alysha Zimmer, Work Experience and Employability Programme Manager, Severn Trent
