A brilliant paid opportunity arose for some of our young people that are interested in I.T.!
AlixPartners, a global Consultancy firm and Open Palm partner, needed support in their I.T. team to decommission and recycle I.T. equipment. The vacancy was for a fixed term period of 2-3 months and was an ideal fit for a student or first-time hire, as it required learning industry-standard processes.
Meaningful employment opportunities
We were delighted to be able to offer the opportunity to the young people we serve.
The majority of our young people are from ethnically under-represented backgrounds and many have limited access to corporate opportunities. An opportunity such as this can shape futures.
All of the five applicants secured an interview.
We prepared each young person before their official interview, to help them put their best foot forward. They each felt confident and excited going into their interview.
The official interviews went well and feedback was really positive from both AlixPartners and the young people. So much so that AlixPartners offered paid roles to four out of the five applicants! One applicant had limited availability so could not be taken forward, but performed very well at interview.
All four young people accepted the roles and started in December 2021. They are based in AlixPartners' central London office (with COVID-19 measures in place). They are all currently in part-time further education, so this role works well around their study schedules. These I.T. role are also a helpful opportunity for the young people, as they are expected to secure industry placements in 2022. These roles also meet the expectations of their college.
Continuous development - from buddy systems to coaching
In addition to the paid role, all four young people are benefitting from development opportunities to help kickstart their careers. They will each be paired with a 'buddy' - an AlixPartners employee who can help them to navigate the workplace and settle into life at a global firm.
AlixPartners' People/HR teams will also provide the young people with career coaching, helping them to set career goals and take practical steps to make them a reality. There will also be networking opportunities in 2022, which will provide the young people with access to senior members of the firm.
Supporting young people every step of the way
The initial feedback from the young people since starting their roles has been brilliant. We continue to check in with them, supporting them to gain as much from the opportunity as possible.
Here's what they said:
"I'm really enjoying my placement. I'm learning I.T. skills and improving my understanding of computer devices. I'm working in a great team and have also received career support from my buddy at AlixPartners. I really want to thank Open Palm for helping me to secure this opportunity" - Onur.
"My placement involves removing data from laptops. I'm learning a lot and this ties in well with my Computer Science BTEC. I'm working with three other students, which is nice. I'm really thankful for the opportunity and I'm enjoying it" - Gabriel.
These opportunities allow young people to gain exposure to the workplace, boost their CV and networks, in addition to earning an income. We were thrilled to be able to work with AlixPartners for this opportunity and look forward to continuing to serve our young people in 2022 and beyond.