Students from Solihull College have been gaining inspiration from BT under a new initiative which aims to create new opportunities for young people.
A project recently introduced in BT, Work Inspiration aims to change the way young people think about work, supporting the aims of the Government’s ‘Backing Young Britain’ campaign. Work Inspiration gives young people the chance to spend time with BT before they join the career ladder.
Over 15 IT students from Solihull College who are currently in their final year of a BTEC National Diploma in Software Development worked alongside employees from BT for a week to gain an insight into how the company operates. They also received useful tips and advice about how to stand out from others when applying for jobs.
From exploring telephone exchanges and learning how the different functions of BT work, to practising interview techniques and CV writing, the students were able to engage with experienced business people and find out first-hand what employers look for.
Ian Ashby, who delivered the CV writing and interview technique session to the students, comments: “The seminar with the students was fantastic; they were fully engaged as they have been all week, but to actually see the change in some of their mindsets has been very rewarding. The quality being created in their CVs surpasses that of college students and I have been hugely impressed by the contributions made.”
BT is one of the world’s leading communications services companies, providing fixed-line services, broadband, mobile and TV products and services, as well as networked IT services.
Fatima Ramji, Head of School for Computing and IT at Solihull College, comments: “This has been a fantastic opportunity for our students and they are extremely privileged to have received expert guidance from BT to support their future careers.”
Photo caption: Students Samantha Hill and Ryan Critchley gain useful advice on interview techniques from BT’s Ian Ashby and Jerry Roper.
