At Challenge-trg Group, we believe in the power of community engagement and the importance of giving back. This is why we were thrilled to participate in the recent Primary World of Work Programme organised by Co-op Academy. This event provided an opportunity for us to connect with local schools and contribute to the development of young minds in our community. Several of our colleagues have taken part in the community days across different Co-op Academies across the country and played an important role during the event, acting as part of an interview panel to help students hone their skills during an interview in preparation for the world of work.
In today’s competitive job market, the ability to navigate an interview confidently is crucial. To help students prepare for this, our colleagues volunteered to be part of an interview panel offering a student a place on the Senior Leadership Team.
During the session, students had the chance to experience what it’s like to be interviewed in a professional setting. Our colleagues provided valuable feedback, and offered tips on how to improve communication, body language and overall presentation. This hands-on experience was invaluable for the students, giving them a taste of the real-world interview process and helping them build confidence in their abilities.
Simon Bladon, Managing Director of Challenge-trg Skills said ‘the enthusiasm, intelligence and maturity were truly impressive, and they are a credit to the school. I hope they gained as much from our interviews as I did’.
Paul Farrell, Cluster Manager, attended another academy day in June and was blown away by one of the students and said his “dedication and abilities are commendable” and had an inspiring afternoon listening to students whose “desire to take the World of Work programme seriously was evident to see”.
We spoke to Keela Walsh, Academies Adviser, after the event to provide our feedback on how much our colleagues enjoyed the experience and Keela replied, “Many thanks to Challenge-trg Group for your continued support, our academies really appreciate it, as do I”.
At Challenge-trg Group, we’re more than just a business – we’re part of a community. Following our ethos of ‘Together, everything is possible’, our participation in the Primary World of Work programme is one example of how we’re working together to make a positive impact. We look forward to more opportunities to engage with our community and help shape the leaders of tomorrow.
