Careers Inspiration For Every Child

As we step into 2025, Form the Future continues to make a profound impact on young people’s career journeys. January has been a busy and inspiring month, filled with work experience opportunities, career guidance initiatives, and invaluable interview practice for students across Cambridgeshire.

Work Experience Portal Open for Applications

This month, we launched three exceptional work experience programmes in collaboration with Bango, PA Consulting, and Abcam. Aimed at students in Years 12-13, these immersive placements provide hands-on exposure to industry-leading companies, helping young people develop skills and gain insights that will shape their future careers.

Ambassador Spotlight: Tina McEwan

We were thrilled to kick off the year by celebrating one of our dedicated Ambassadors, Tina McEwan. Since 2023, Tina has been actively supporting students through Mock Interviews and ‘What’s My Line?’ events at schools such as Cambridge Academy for Science & Technology, St Bede's, and Sawston Village College. She values the two-way learning experience, where she gains fresh perspectives from young people while helping them build confidence and career awareness.

Impactful Mock Interview Events

January saw a strong start to our in-school events, with over 260 students benefitting from our Mock Interview sessions. We started at Bassingbourn Village College, where 120 Year 11 students took part in realistic interview experiences, helping them develop crucial communication skills. Later in the month, we supported 140 Year 10 students at Linton Village College in a similar event. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated Ambassadors and the Greater Cambridge Partnership for making these events a success.

Career Inspiration Through Video

In collaboration with Cambridge Regional College, we partnered with SPT Labtech, Milestone Infrastructure, and Coveris UK to produce a series of careers videos. These engaging resources aim to inspire young people by showcasing real career journeys and the diverse opportunities available across Cambridgeshire.

Rethinking Career Choices for Young People

This month, we also addressed a common concern among teenagers—choosing a lifelong career. With the evolving job market, we encourage young people to focus on developing a diverse skill set rather than feeling pressured to commit to a single career path. Through our Career Spotlights series, funded by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, we provide insights into different roles and career trajectories, equipping young people with the information they need to make informed decisions.

Looking Ahead

January has set a strong foundation for the rest of the year, and we’re excited to continue supporting young people in their career exploration. Whether through work experience, career guidance, or interview practice, our mission remains clear: to empower the next generation with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.

Thank you to all our supporters, partners, and volunteers who make this work possible!

Across July and August Form the Future delivered another successful Work Experience programme. Partnering with global companies like Abcam, PA Consulting, and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, participating students had the chance to gain world-leading experience of working in a sector of interest to them. This year, students gained hands-on insights into biotech and cutting-edge consulting, building skills and gaining experience that will open opportunities in their future careers. 
 
These immersive work experience programmes are aimed at disadvantaged students from across the region. Students who come from low-income backgrounds, those who have barriers from disability, and young people who simply do not have role models signposting the routes into careers within their social network. 
 
Form the Future’s work in schools across the region identifies young people who would never have found and applied for these placements themselves. Together with their teachers and family, we encourage them to take the step forward and realise high growth industries are on their doorstep and need their developing talents.  

The funding we receive from GlobalGiving allows us to find and make connections with the companies that provide these placements, and deliver training to both employers and students to help them make the most of the opportunity. 

Keep an eye out for our next update in which we will be announcing a new fundraising campaign to mark our 10th Anniversary!