The Wonders of Work Experience

Our glorious Summer Scheme is supported by a number of businesses on Teesside that span many different sectors. These businesses make it possible for us to offer work experience placements to college graduates from across the region; helping them to learn about the world of work and take that first step towards their future careers.

We thought we’d share a couple of our success stories with you to show you what a few of our students have been getting up to and prove just how valuable these programmes can be to a young person’s life.

Sophie Wilberg on her work experience placement at Better Brand Agency.

Last month, a young gentleman named Jak Miller accepted his Summer Scheme placement at Middlesbrough Football Club’s Riverside Stadium, which is any young Teesside boy’s dream. Yvonne Ferguson, Head of HR & Administration at the club told us:

“Jak has been working in the ticket office during his placement and he has been amazing. We’ve had him selling on the counter and dealing with customers, which he is very good at! We are about to offer him a match day role as we are so impressed. We hope he accepts!”

Another young lady named Elle Jackson embarked on her week long work experience placement last month at beautiful Wynyard Hall in Billingham where she was also offered a permanent role at the end. She emailed us to say the following: “I have just finished my placement at Wynyard Hall and I absolutely loved it! They even offered me a job! Thank you for the opportunity.”

From working in a busy football stadium to a country hall hotel, there are so many varying work placement roles within the businesses that are part of the High Tide Foundation as Industry Members. One of our summer scheme placement students, Sophie Wilberg has been at our branding and marketing agency, Better, and she has been getting involved in some of our High Tide Foundation Ball marketing materials, which she has really enjoyed.

Mark Easby, Managing Director at Better said of Sophie’s placement at the agency:

“Sophie was already interested in design and is currently studying on a design course at Middlesbrough College. Sophie had some experience with industry design software so as part of the week she worked on some live project work such as some design projects for High Tide including a fundraising poster for the annual Fundraising Ball in September. This poster is proudly taking its place on industry and education member office walls all around Teesside. We were very impressed with Sophie and hope, by gaining real life agency experience and working on live client projects, that we’ve inspired her to continue her development into a career in the creative industry.”

Work experience is so beneficial to a young person’s transition from college to work life, and provides them with the knowledge and skills to enter into their first job. Going for employment once you’ve finished college or university can be extremely daunting, so this type of placement can help prepare these aspirational individuals and hopefully inspire them at the same time.

If you’re a business and are interested in getting involved in our Summer Scheme or would like to hear of our other programmes, then drop us an email on info@hightidefoundation.co.uk. You can also find additional information on all of our opportunities for both schools and businesses on our website.