How We Support Young People into Work, and What We Expect in Return
By Gilly Bachelor
There’s a lot of conversation about getting young people into work, but far less about what meaningful support actually looks like.
The truth is, we can’t help everyone. Not properly. Done well, it takes time, energy and a genuine investment on both sides. It has to be a two-way street.
We’re a small business, so our time is limited, but I genuinely believe we punch above our weight when it comes to the time and energy we invest in people.
Let me give you two examples of what that looks like in practice.
Travel Career Support: Megan’s Story
Megan came to me as she was about to graduate, looking to start a career in travel. She’d applied for a role on a graduate scheme with one of the UK’s most prestigious travel companies. It’s a competitive process.
What stood out immediately wasn’t just her ambition, but her preparation. She worked around my availability, which always helps, but more importantly she had done the hard work.
She’d researched the company in detail, looked into the interview process, and found feedback from previous candidates who hadn’t been successful. She came to the table informed, thoughtful and ready to engage.
My role was to help her shape that into something compelling. Megan was already very capable, but like many people at that stage, she found it difficult to strike the balance between presenting her strengths without tipping into arrogance or underselling herself.
She’d already made it through the first stage, which is no small achievement. From there, we worked on her video interview, which I think is often the hardest part, and then her face-to-face.
I was delighted when she got the job. In my view, they’re lucky to have her. The level of preparation she showed was exceptional and her success is entirely her own doing. I just helped her bring it to life.
A few days later, I received a bottle of champagne from Megan’s parents as a thank you. Completely unnecessary, but a very thoughtful gesture and a reminder that these moments matter.
Meaningful Work Experience in Travel: Isla’s Story
The second example is Isla, who’s joining us for work experience this summer.
We receive a lot of requests for placements, and one of my biggest frustrations is when parents get in touch on behalf of their children, suggesting they can just sit and watch. That doesn’t benefit anyone.
We want our placements to be meaningful. Real work, real thinking and real contribution.
When I spoke to Isla, who is 17, we had a different conversation. We talked about something we’re genuinely curious about as a business. How teenagers feel about family holidays. What they love, what they loathe, and how much influence they really have in the decision-making process.
With some guidance, Isla has designed an online survey and worked with her school to get approval to distribute it. She’s set herself a target of 250 responses before she even arrives with us in June.
When she joins, she won’t just be observing. She’ll be analysing that data and building a marketing and PR campaign around it.
That level of initiative is rare and incredibly impressive.
What we Expect in Return
So yes, we are keen to support young people into work. But for it to be meaningful, it has to be earned.
We invest a lot of time and energy into the people we support and we expect that to be matched. When it is, the results can be pretty special.
If you’re looking for a role or interview experience and you see a bit of yourself in Megan or Isla, get in touch.
If you’re just ticking a box, please don’t waste your time or ours.