Today we are so proud to bring you an interview with our new partners Leadership Through Sport and Business. They are a social mobility charity and their goal is to support bright and talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve meaningful careers with some of the UK’s top employers.
They believe in empowering young people with the confidence and tools they need to become future business leaders, and they help employers to provide these great opportunities to young people who may have otherwise been forgotten.
What Apprenticeships and Skills Programmes Do They Offer?
- NatWest Contact Centre Apprenticeships
- Business and Finance Apprenticeships
- NatWest Digital and Customer Services Apprenticeships
To get to know Leadership Through Sport and Business a little better we got the chance to interview Shamaine Armstrong, the head of youth engagement, about their work and how they support skills-based education.
A Chat with Shamaine Armstrong, Head of Youth Engagement
“Hi Shamaine, thanks so much for talking to us today. We wanted to start by asking what you do and how you describe the work of Leadership Through Sport and Business?”
LTSB is a Social Mobility Charity that works with and supports bright young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, into meaningful careers. We address all forms of disadvantage: personal, in terms of adverse life events; socio-economic, in terms of class boundaries or lack of social capital; and practical, in terms of preparation young people need for the working world. How we prepare young people for the world of work is through the intensive boot camps we run ranging from 2 to 12 weeks in length. During the boot camps our young people are given the training and skills to succeed.
We offer exclusive interview coaching, Workshops around CV’s, critical thinking, debating, communication and presentation skills, along with insight events with leading companies and business professionals.
In my role as Head of Youth Engagement, it is my responsibility for a young person’s journey with LTSB right from the start of recruitment all the way to when they are in full-time employment and become part of our Alumni programme. We continue to support our young people throughout their employment and offer many more opportunities for development after our programme.
“I know a lot of your work focuses on empowering young people. Can you tell us some of the biggest barriers that your young people face? And how does your work help to overcome them?”
Some of the biggest barriers our young people face is getting in front of the employers they rightly deserve to be in front of. Under employment is a huge issue that we are trying to tackle as a charity. The young people we work with are amazing, bright, passionate and strive to succeed. To quote David Pinchin the LTSB founder “They want to be part of the game”. LTSB puts young people in front of employers who recognise the under-employment issue we are facing and want to diverse their workforce and see real change.
“At Employing an Apprentice, we champion technical education because we believe in equipping young people with real skills. How does the work of LTSB prepare young people with the skills they need for work? And why do you think skills education is so important?”
The programmes LTSB run are designed to look at what is needed to successfully transition into employment. We look at key skills required in the work place from presentation skills, communication, Leadership, interview technique, and base a portion of our programmes on skills needs for the role you are directly applying for.
But we also look at the things that are not taught but you are expected to know or learn on the job such as office etiquette and how to correctly respond to emails. We also look at morality and ethics, how to spot fake news in published articles or social media, and debate and discuss topics around current trends to build on knowledge and understanding. We think these types of skills are important because it creates a level playing field for young people to walk into their place of work knowing more about how to navigate daily life.
“And finally, I know that LSTB runs three amazing programmes to help support young people. Do you have any words of advice for someone thinking of applying to a boot camp with LTSB?”
Apply Now! LTSB’s vision is a world where all young people flourish, regardless of their background. If you have a passion for Business & Finance, Digital & Data, or Customer Service, please visit our website today and see what apprenticeship opportunities we have available in your area.
A Case Study with a Leadership Through Sport and Business Student
Have a read below to hear Irvine Neill’s story about finding LTSB during the pandemic. They took part in the NatWest Digital Programme as a Data Analyst Apprentice in Edinburgh.
“I decided to leave school at 16 as it wasn’t right for me. I knew from the work experience that I learnt better in a workplace and could use my skills and knowledge to their potential.
After leaving school I got a part time job within the retail sector. At this time COVID-19 became much more prominent I felt that if I wanted to move out of this temporary job, now was the time to make a move.
LTSB stood out to me as they offered something I had never seen before, helping young people to develop their skills and opportunities through a two-week boot camp. I applied for the NatWest LTSB boot camp and heard back within a couple days, being offered an invite to the interview stage.
After completing the interview, I received a call, stating I had secured a place within the boot camp. Everyone was super supportive from my Careers Development Manager to my mentor, and my confidence built each day. I was pushed out of my comfort zone and the two-week boot camp allowed me to develop and improve on my CV, interview skills, people skills and confidence.
The boot camp helped me to gain a massive boost in overall performance and confidence.
I am currently halfway through the first year of the apprenticeship with NatWest and have loved every minute of it. The whole bank is extremely supportive, and I have been provided so much support from the bank, my team and LTSB still to this date.
I continue to develop and improve my skills every day and both myself, my mentor and my team have noticed the continued improved confidence. I have become much more confident speaking with newer people, hosting calls, and taking on new challenges.”
If you are interested in Leadership Through Sport and Business, head to their website to find out more. And follow them on Twitter and Instagram for regular updates.
