Foundation has completed its first Future Talent Programme, giving 18 young people workplace experience across a range of financial services functions.

The two-week programme, which ran from 17-28 August, was open to people aged between 16 and 25 and focused on developing employability skills, workplace confidence and awareness of potential career paths.

More than 50 Foundation employees were involved in delivering the initiative, which was developed in response to the difficulties some young people face in securing meaningful work experience and gaining exposure to professional environments.

Rather than operating as a conventional internship, Foundation said the programme was structured around what participants could gain from the experience. Its recruitment process focused on potential rather than formal applications, while support is continuing after the placement itself.

Participants spent time learning about sales, underwriting, operations, customer service, finance, risk and compliance, IT, HR, learning and development, ESG and EDI.

They also received CV and interview support, advice on professional networking and career development, alongside an Insights Discovery evaluation intended to help them understand their strengths and working styles.

During the programme, participants worked on projects, heard about the career experiences of Foundation employees and presented ideas to senior leaders.

Iain Berthelemy, group head of learning and development at Foundation, said: “This programme was never about creating a traditional internship. From day one, it was built around giving something meaningful to the young people taking part and helping them prepare for whatever comes next in their careers.

“We wanted to do everything we could to help equip young people with the skills and confidence they’ll need for modern working life. Whether they go on to work in an office, work from home or as part of a hybrid team, understanding workplace expectations and building confidence are skills that will benefit them throughout their careers.

“We wanted to give them more than just time spent watching other people work, so we built the programme around practical projects, career development and opportunities to better understand their own strengths and potential.”

Foundation said participants will continue to receive references, networking advice, social media guidance and access to an online alumni community after completing the programme.

Berthelemy added: “Many participants arrived understandably apprehensive, but within days they were presenting project outcomes to colleagues and senior leaders. Their confidence grew every day.

“Many told us they felt more prepared for the future, more confident in their abilities and reassured that there is no single route into a business like ours. Watching that shift in perspective was incredibly rewarding.

“What we’re most proud of is that the support doesn’t end when the programme finishes. We want participants to know they have an ongoing network they can turn to as they take their next steps.”

Kayla Docis, a Future Talent participant, said: “Foundation was a warm, welcoming environment where I have made great friends and connections. It taught me the benefits of working in an office environment and overall has helped me narrow down career paths. I am now looking to start a career in Finance and feel fully supported by Foundation moving forward.”

Foundation recorded an overall satisfaction score of more than 4.8 out of five for the programme and a Net Promoter Score of +100 when participants were asked whether they would recommend it to others.

Feedback also pointed to improved confidence and communication skills, as well as a greater understanding of possible career routes.

Lisa Fisher, group director of HR at Foundation, added: “The talent we witnessed throughout the Future Talent Programme was remarkable. What stayed with me most, however, were some of the personal stories’ participants shared about the challenges they had faced simply trying to access opportunities and gain experience.

“We witnessed young people presenting to senior leaders, building professional networks, developing their employability skills and growing in confidence every day. It reinforced my belief that as employers we have a significant role to play in bridging the gap between education and employment.

“If we want to develop the workforce of the future, we need to create more opportunities like this – the challenge is not a lack of talent, it’s creating opportunities for that talent to be seen.”

Pete Ball, chief executive of Foundation, said: “The Future Talent Programme is a great example of what can happen when a business comes together to invest in people. We wanted to create something that gave young people meaningful experience, practical skills and greater confidence about their future.

“The feedback we’ve received from participants has been invaluable and we’re already looking at how we can make the programme even better.

“This is not a one-off initiative. We fully intend to run the Future Talent Programme again and use what we’ve learned from our first cohort to continue improving the experience and creating more opportunities for young people.

“The enthusiasm, commitment and growth shown by every participant over the two weeks was fantastic to see. We’re incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved and grateful to all our colleagues who helped bring the programme to life.

“Supporting future talent is an important part of who we are as a business and sits alongside our purpose of making mortgages happen.”