FUTURE TALENTED Autumn Term 2018 - Issue 1 | Page 31

EMPLOYABILITY
BARCLAYS LIFESKILLS
• 65 hours of free , curriculumlinked employability resources , designed to fit into secondary school timetables .
• Matched work experience placements for students aged 14-19 at Barclays and other UK businesses .
• Online tools and resources for young people to work through independently .
• Volunteers to run workshops in schools .
Register for free resources : barclayslifeskills . com

“ Careers doesn ’ t need to be a separate curriculum subject ”

›› them ?”, drawing on the skills identified by the World Economic Forum , for consistency of message .
“ Teachers can choose what is most relevant for their pupils , download lesson plans and workshops , or request a Barclays volunteer to run workshops for them ,” she says . “ That ’ s all curriculum linked and free of charge . We also offer
work-experience matching for 14-19 year olds .
“ Careers doesn ’ t need to be a separate curriculum subject ,” she stresses . “ For example , you can weave problem-solving into maths and communication into English . The best way for children to understand is to highlight and talk about the skills within the classroom .”
ABOUT BARCLAYS LIFESKILLS LifeSkills , created with Barclays , helps young people get the skills and experiences they need to enter the world of work . barclayslifeskills . com
I didn ’ t take that advice , instead speaking to the individual tutors and delivering workshops to their groups , creating a team of young people in my school to support me . We started seeing benefits and asked Barclays to deliver workshops .
As work experience wasn ’ t available at school , we made our own programme , with activities to go out and see local businesses , and CV clinics with the local LifeSkills team .
I got a work experience placement at a Barclays branch in Bradford . It was the first time I ’ d worked in a business ; I ’ d never had a part-time job , though I ’ d always been entrepreneurial . But I wanted to get more involved in

“ I ’ ve spoken at Wembley Arena at an event with Richard Branson in front of 12,000 people ”
the LifeSkills programme itself to see how we could get more young people benefiting , so I got in touch with Kirstie Mackey and the team . It ’ s a programme for young people , so that voice needs to be included .
I spent a week at Barclays ’ HQ , meeting the people behind the programme , including the CEO , and suggested a Youth Advisory Council . Two years ago , we started recruiting young people from different backgrounds , who meet three times a year .
LifeSkills has helped shape me , my direction and my future career . I ’ ve spoken at Wembley Arena at an event with Richard Branson in front of 12,000 people . I never thought I ’ d study at Warwick
because everyone from my city went to a local university . I work part-time at Barclays in Coventry and , as a LifeSkills Champion , always promote the programme . We developed champions to share their experiences and become leaders of social change . The message hits harder when someone of a similar age and background tells their story .
I ’ m keeping my career options open , but I like finance and supporting companies to reach young people in disadvantaged areas through CSR . I also have a few businesses of my own and want to complete a Master ' s in the next few years , and an MBA within the next 10 . I ’ d love to become the CEO of Barclays one day ."
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