“Skills are the bedrock of a successful professional journey. Upskill Me’s focus on combining platform and programme to give young people the best shot at increasing their skills and networks has high potential for impact. We are excited to back this initiative to help young people in England to build their skills and access opportunities otherwise out of reach for them.”
GINA CICERONE AND SAM BUTTERS, CO-CEO’S FAIR EDUCATION ALLIANCE
About Upskill Me and Lucy Cranwell-Ward
Upskill Me helps students from lower socio-economic backgrounds improve their employability through a gamified careers platform that encourages them to develop the durable skills that will support them in the future of work. They also partner with leading employers and universities to provide students structured programmes of support which include career coaching, virtual work experience, UCAS support, and mentoring.
In the UK, 70% of UK internships are unpaid. From Lucy's experience in HR and early careers, which involved setting up inclusive internship programmes to widen access to different industries, she concluded that students from lower socio-economic groups don't have access to the same professional networks, careers support, and tailored advice. Students also lack the means to track and communicate the non-academic skills that employers genuinely value.
Upskill Me was created to level the playing field with a blended approach that combines an engaging careers platform with targeted employability support. The ongoing documentation of skills using Upskill Me allows students to generate a story of their growth and gives prospective employers a more truthful view of students' resilience and capabilities. Upskill Me is a free service for schools and students and currently works with a wide range of schools across England.
Lucy says - "Winning the Fair Education Alliance Innovation award is a huge milestone for Upskill Me. It shows that the work we're doing to improve access and social mobility in the UK is supported and backed by the FEA, a prestigious organisation and group of experts in the fields of education and improving outcomes for young people. It's a testament to the work we're doing with UK schools and students aged 14-19, who are most in need of our targeted support."