Employers & volunteers
Employer engagement with young people is essential to prepare them for the world of work.
This page includes information on the various opportunities available to employers for engaging with volunteers or to volunteer themselves. Here you can find out about how to become an Enterprise Advisor and discover information on Cornerstone Employers.
Successful interactions with employers and experiences like workplace volunteering, internships, placements, and workshops inspire young people to make informed choices about their future, whilst attracting future talent to your business.
Benefits of engaging with young people
Your business can make a real difference to young peoples’ lives. Individuals who interacted with employers while at school are 86% less likely to become what’s known as NEETs (not in employment, education or training). They’re also likely to earn around 18% more during their career than their peers without the same opportunities.
By interacting with young people you can:
- Meet young talent first
- Inspire young people and grow future skills
- Proactively address the social value of your business by making a difference to the community
- Develop your staff’s potential
Are a business or employer who could support modern work experience?
Modern work experience will help young people to make informed choices and improve career readiness and employability by offering multiple, variable and targeted experiences throughout their education journey.
Our Cornerstone Employers
Our ‘Cornerstone Employers’ are a group of businesses from key sectors that all provide high quality careers outreach and opportunities for young people in the region. The group works together to target disadvantage, inform colleges and schools, parents and carers and ultimately improve outcomes for our young people.
The largest aeronautics and space company in Europe, providing products, services and solutions for the commercial aircraft, helicopter, defence and space sectors. The Bristol operation is located in Filton.
World-class engineering services and nuclear organization connecting people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems with offices in Aztec West, South Glos
An international defence company providing support and product solutions to enhance their customers’ defence capabilities and critical assets. Bristol office based in Stoke Gifford.
A game-changing approach towards decarbonisation at city-scale - a twenty-year joint venture partnership between Bristol City Council, Ameresco and Vattenfall Heat UK, based in central Bristol
An international consultancy within engineering, architecture, energy and environment. Their West of England offices are based in Chipping Sodbury, South Glos.
Responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability and ill health benefits. Offices in central Bristol and other West of England and national sites.
An American multinational information technology company which works in servers, storage, networking, containerisation software and consulting and support. Their Bristol office based in Stoke Gifford.
Leading UK-based financial services group, providing a wide range of banking and financial services, focused primarily on retail and commercial customers. Their Bristol offices are located in central Bristol's Docks.
The Integrated Care System (ICS) serves the areas of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). It is comprised of 10 partner organisations, including the three Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, the Integrated Care Board and community and General Practice providers. It is also known as Healthier Together.
A family-owned cider maker employing around 200 people. The business 500 acres of its own orchard and also uses apples from other growers in the area. The factory is in Sandford in North Somerset, England,
Business management consultancy offering advisory, commercial, program management, strategy, project management, procurement, safety, digital and productivity improvement. Their offices are in central Bristol.
A leading UK university with an international reputation for teaching and public research, currently ranking in the top 10 of UK universities. The Campus is in Claverton Down in Bath.
A wholly owned subsidiary of YTL Power International Berhad) regional water supply and sewerage utility company serving an area of South West England, covering 10,000 square kilometres including Bristol, most of Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire and parts of Gloucestershire and Hampshire. Offices in Claverton Down in Bath.
A UK based law firm founded in 1878. The firm practices in the areas of private equity, mergers, and acquisitions, employment and pensions, ancillary business, private wealth, dispute resolution and litigation, venture capital, and financing transactions. Their Bristol office is in the city centre.
Become an Enterprise Adviser
The West of England Enterprise Adviser Network supports voluntary Enterprise Advisers to work together with schools and colleges to inspire and inform young people about their future careers.
The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) campaign, Rewrite the Story provides more information on the role and how partnering with a local secondary school or college can help them develop a strong careers programme supporting all students.
We need more business professionals across our region to volunteer to work with secondary schools. We’re looking for people who want to make a difference and help schools deliver better careers services to their students.
Case studies and profiles
Further information
Working with schools, special schools, colleges, and employers to help every young person find their best next step.
A framework of eight benchmarks, designed to be linked together to help schools, special schools, and colleges deliver the best careers provision.