Taste of the Workplace: Partner with Us to Shape Bedford’s Future
Calling all businesses and schools!
We’re building something special in Bedford – an innovative programme designed to transform the lives of young people by bringing businesses into the classroom and creating opportunities for students to gain experience of the workplace by working on real life projects.
But we need your help to make it happen.
For Schools: Unlock Opportunities for Your Students
We know that providing meaningful work experiences for students can be a challenge. That’s why Bedford Giving, with delivery partner 4YP, is here to help with our unique Experience of the Workplace programme, placing businesses directly in your classrooms to deliver a bespoke real life work project, so no more panicking about placements! Our programme gives student access to:
- Diverse industries and roles to spark inspiration and career ideas.
- Hands-on learning that builds confidence and skills.
- Real-world insights to help them make informed subject and career choices.
- Motivational experiences that raise aspirations and remove barriers to success.
Our aim is to create lasting partnerships between schools and local businesses, ensuring students receive the support they need to thrive. Together, we can provide a foundation for their future success.
For Businesses: Be the Partner Who Makes a Difference
Young people in Bedford are eager to learn, grow, and discover their potential, but many face barriers to accessing meaningful work experiences. Post-COVID shifts in working practices and policy changes have made it harder for students to gain hands-on exposure to the workplace. That’s where you come in.
We’re asking businesses like yours to partner with Bedford Giving to create 6-8 week real-life projects that bring your day-to-day operations into the classroom.
Here’s how it works:
- Design a project: with our support, create a project based on your business’s activities that spans multiple departments and roles.
- Deliver it in schools: your staff will lead the project over 6-8 weeks during a curriculum lesson, engaging students in meaningful and practical learning.
- Host a site visit: conclude the project with a visit to your company, where students can present their work to your management team.
This is your chance to:
- Inspire the next generation by giving them a glimpse into your industry and helping them develop new skills.
- Engage your team by offering them a rewarding opportunity to mentor and guide young people.
- Make a lasting impact on students’ aspirations, confidence, and career readiness.
- Showcase your company as a community leader committed to youth development.
- Pick up new ideas from young minds.
- Inspiring the next generation to become your future employees.
“Our purpose at Anglian Water is to bring environmental and social prosperity to the region we serve. This is why we are so pleased to support the Bedford Giving Taste of the Workplace initiative, working with Daubeney School Year 9 students, guiding them through a workplace project and hosting them at Grafham Water Park for a site visit. We are excited to offer this as an alternative to traditional work experience as it allows us to work with more students and we can set them a project that is meaningful. We hope that it will inspire the students to consider Anglian Water as an employer of choice when they come into the workplace by showcasing our apprenticeships and the extensive variety of roles. Additionally, through our Strength in Diversity project, we are collaborating with schools and job seekers to increase the diversity of our people, so that our workforce better reflects the demographics of our region.”
Ready to make an impact?
Your involvement will help shape Bedford’s future workforce while giving your team an opportunity to grow and give back. Bedford Giving will be there every step of the way to help you design and deliver the project seamlessly.
Learn more and get started! Let’s work together to build a brighter future for Bedford’s young people.