PwC supports social mobility with paid work experience programme
PwC Midlands welcomed 21 students for a week of paid work experience as part of its 'New World New Skills ' programme.
The students, aged 16 to 17 years old, were among 200 young people who participated in the scheme across the UK.
The programme is part of PwC 's commitment to social mobility, with the students recruited from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Working with social mobility and social inclusion organisations, including Social Mobility Foundation, Sutton Trust, Urban Synergy and Amos Bursary, the programme is an opportunity for young people to gain experience of the workplace and develop the knowledge and skills for future careers.
Each student was provided with a PwC laptop and iPhones were provided to students who needed assistance accessing wifi.
The students were given the option to work from home two days of the week to experience hybrid working, providing them with practical experience of how office life has evolved since the pandemic.
Throughout the week, the students took part in a range of sessions designed to develop essential skills and learn about professional services, culminating in a final presentation to a panel of PwC senior leaders where they showcased what they had learned.
Victoria Broadhurst, head of organisational effectiveness, at PwC Midlands, said: “PwC has a commitment to social mobility, and our New World New Skills programme is designed with this at its core.
“Many sectors, including professional services, have a low representation of talent from lower socio-economic backgrounds and that is something we as a major employer want to help change.
“We understand the importance of work experience to young people, especially in the wake of the pandemic, and this year we added in the element of hybrid working to the programme to enable the students to gain experience of what the workplace is like today. ”