Future Leaders UK, the non-profit organisation that seeks to empower young people from under- represented backgrounds to develop their skills and confidence to access competitive careers, is seeking more corporate partners to offer apprenticeship opportunities for people that have gone through its programme.

The organisation already has an extensive range of corporate relationships (Amazon, HSBC, Centrica and Salesforce to name a few) but is actively seeking more partners open to offering apprenticeship opportunities for young people with ambition to work in finance and treasury.

“We are always on the hunt for more business partnerships, particularly in finance,” says Faheem Khan, Founder and CEO of Future Leaders UK, in conversation with Treasury Today following Future Leaders joining Treasury Today’s Women in Treasury EMEA Forum last year. “Working in finance is one of the most common aspirations amongst young people and we are seeking to pair with teams and connect to the right departments that believe in what we are doing.”

The award-winning initiative currently supports 8,000 young people across London, The Midlands, Sheffield and Edinburgh. “We have so many young people coming up, and we need more corporate partners,” continues Khan. “We can empower and develop young people, but we also need access to corporate environments and urge corporates to reach out to us to help achieve our mission and their own diversify intake.”

He believes Future Leaders offers a compelling opportunity for corporates to truly diversify their young talent base. Companies can tap highly engaged and ambitious young people for their apprenticeship programmes, feeding directly into their early talent pool. “There is a strong case for working with us,” he adds.

Companies understand the value of a diverse employee team, and Future Leaders has a high success rate of placing young people – and retention of young people in apprenticeship roles. One reason, he explains, is because the programme enables prospective candidates and corporates to “spend time together” and build a relationship. Companies can put candidates through tasks and opportunities in a manner that allows them to successfully onboard, supporting long-term retention.

“Retention rates in apprenticeships are sometimes low but our rates are above the national average because our young people have had the opportunity to get to know a company’s culture and values.”

Khan was inspired to set up the organisation because of his own childhood experience, arriving in the UK from Pakistan aged 11. His 18-year career in teaching during which time he witnessed first-hand the impact of low aspiration amongst young people in deprived immigrant communities has also driven his passion to facilitate change. His own experience has shaped Future Leaders’ particular focus on helping young people develop confidence, and the importance of contributing positively to community initiatives in a virtuous circle that nurtures the next generation of leaders.

“I remember what it feels like to be a young person who had not grasped the language and cultural norms. When you don’t understand the system, it can lead to limited ambition. Schools do not have the resources or time to build a young person from the ground up, and good kids are falling through the cracks. They are getting the grades, but not applying to university because they feel they don’t belong.”

How it works

Future Leaders’ year-long programme for young people begins in Year 12 and is split into two phases. A first phase comprises weekly sessions on skills and confidence building. It helps young people write their CV, build a network on LinkedIn; learn how to be upstanding and contribute to their community. A second phase involves connecting and applying to corporates that offer apprenticeships across a wide range of industries to secure a first foot on the career ladder.

“Our work involves breaking that cycle of poverty to enable young people to secure their pathway that will help them achieve their aspiration.”

For those seeking to go to university, Future Leaders has ties with leading universities including Oxbridge. Its programmes allow young people to visit and experience university life before they apply. The organisation offers support with personal statements, interviews and the application process, and helps them prepare people for life at university.

“Whatever their journey, we will help them,” concludes Khan. “Research tells us that social mobility in the UK is weak, and we know that class is a barrier to access for young people. The opportunity gap between private and state schools is significant, and many of the people in top professions are from private school. These meaningful touch points significantly increase the chances of young people pursuing their chosen career path.”