Having completed sixth form in 2011, my year group was the last class to pay £3k per year to study for a degree. Some may see this as lucky as the unfortunate ones an academic year behind us would be indebting themselves treble that amount. However that wasn't enough to persuade me to accept the offer and pack my bags for university.
The state of the UK economy has made it very difficult for young people to be able to fund themselves for university and find paid jobs. Having taking that into consideration, I unleashed what I like to call my 'inner-fearless-risk taker' and set out on a mission to find myself a full time job. If I wasn't working for Deloitte today I'd either be piling up the debt of university and drowning in books or struggling to find my feet in the world of work with the 957,000 other 16-24 year olds in the UK who were unemployed in June-August 2012 (source: ONS).
After enjoying a long summer in 2011, I worked part time in a market research agency (one of those callers that bug you to participate in surveys you have no interest in) and looked online for work. On my searches I stumbled across the Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership (THEBP) who at that time were launching a 10 week pre-apprenticeship training programme to boost chances of getting the right placement. After I enrolled, I found myself in a room with 9 others in the same boat as me and suddenly the competition seemed very real.
Luckily for me the Corporate Responsibility Team at Deloitte work closely with THEBP around skills and education and were looking for an apprentice. My CV was forwarded and before I knew it I had been interviewed and was in a training room with dozens of graduates attending the two day Deloitte induction. My current role with the CR team is sadly coming to an end and I've undeniably had the most memorable, educating experience. Being an apprentice meant that I was given extensive support and guidance in developing my skills, and I have made the most of Deloitte Learning and Development over the last 12 months. With help from the team and the experience I have attained, I have been offered a permanent role in the Deloitte Tax department. Hoorah!
The opportunities that Deloitte has on offer for young people are beyond just a job, it's giving people like me a chance to find their feet in a corporate firm and supporting them as they develop their careers. Deloitte has recognised that university isn't for everyone and introduced the BrightStart School Leavers scheme as one of a number of opportunities the firm offers young people. BrightStart is a national programme which aims to recruit a significant number of school leavers into key service lines. Deloitte also offers university students the chance to gain paid experience through the Scholars scheme, internship and industrial placement opportunities and the firm continues to recruit over a thousand graduates each year. In FY12 Deloitte recruited 3,215 people in total into both entry level and senior hire roles and have spent over £20m on Learning and Development. Choosing this route has proven to be a very good choice for me and I have been privileged to be able to benefit from Deloitte's support.
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