The award-winning ‘Employability Skills Programme’ delivered in partnership between Coventry Building Society (CBS) and EmployabilityUK (EUK) provides year 12 students across the city with the confidence and transferable skills to thrive in the workplace.
We are proud that 2023 marked the ninth consecutive delivery year, with each set of workshops delivered by a team of CBS volunteers, supported by a dedicated EUK Programme Manager.
Lockdown provided us with an opportunity to take our ‘in place’ programme to ‘in space’. As a result of a successful, fully online delivery, we were delighted to have a unique hybrid programme, enabling us to reach even more young people through our innovative series of interactive webinars.
Ever mindful of the costs for the education sector, and also of digital poverty issues, we are constantly reviewing and upgrading our programme framework. Our versatility means we can deliver first-class employability skills training without compromise.
Key Deliverables
Since the beginning of our working partnership with CBS in 2016:
■ Nearly 1,000 students have taken part in the programme
■ More than 735 volunteers have taken part – accumulating over 4000 volunteer hours
■ 13 students have successfully secured summer internships within CBS
■ 1040 students were reached in 2021 through online webinars
■ Countless students have gone on to secure their dream job
B4SI Impact
Our bespoke programmes evolve to account for the highest standards in employability skills training, meeting significant elements of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
The 2022 CBS programme enabled us to revise our measurement processes to incorporate a new social impact framework. The B4SI standard is globally recognised and resulted in:
■ 100% of students reporting a positive impact in their employability skills
■ 87% of students reporting improved confidence
■ 100% of students confirming that the programme had improved their attitude and raised
their aspirations
■ 100% of students and teaching staff surveyed said they would recommend the programme
to other students and schools
■ 100% of volunteers surveyed said that they would recommend the programme
to colleagues
What Teaching Staff Said
“Most students, were very nervous to start… All were pushed outside of their
comfort zone, but in a very supportive environment – this led them to being
very proud of themselves for completing interviews and presentations. The
students surprised themselves by how they grew in confidence.”
“Our students have developed crucial employability skills that will no doubt
improve their chances of success in a competitive world. The sessions were
expertly and professionally delivered by a fantastic and dedicated team
of CBS volunteers. Thank you for all of your hard work, commitment and
dedication to improving the outcomes of our students.”
What Students Said
“A fantastic experience that shone a positive light on the world of work for
someone who was very unprepared and quite anxious.”
“It broadened my understanding of the employment/working world and
increased my confidence.”
What CBS Volunteers Said
“Gave me a sense of pleasure and pride to feel that I have had a positive
impact on a student’s performance.”
“The students’ contribution and positive attitudes that came across during
the session was really uplifting and made it feel worthwhile.
A Longstanding Relationship
The Powerful Partnership between EmployabilityUK and Coventry Building Society started in 2016. Throughout that time, we have collaborated to engage almost a thousand students in total, with 778 individuals having completed the programme in its entirety.
The programme’s success was marked in 2018 when Coventry Building Society won the BitC Responsible Business Award for Education Partnerships.
The partnership’s success was further marked in 2021 when Coventry Building Society successfully nominated EmployabilityUK for a Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
Your support can change lives.
Coventry Building Society and EmployabilityUK have worked together to transform thousands of young lives by building skills, confidence and aspirations. Now we ask for your support to take this to the next level.
Contact us today to find out how you can help to shape the future of young people that will become the professionals and leaders of tomorrow in the community.