Throughout the year, we invite our interns to introduce themselves and share their messages to employers. Meet our current intern, Sophie, who joins us as a trainee business development manager and will be reaching out to employers to talk about our work.

Meet Sophie

Hello, my name is Sophie Gould and I am currently 21 years old. I am a recent BA (Hons) geography graduate from Loughborough University. My degree has allowed me to explore societal issues emphasising the importance of the need for change. 

In the future, I would love to work in the charity/social enterprise sector to make a real difference in society. The world is constantly evolving and organisations need to be aware of their societal impact. That is why I would love to work in sustainability, ensuring the world is better for the next generation. 

I chose to work with Access Generation as I believe they are making a significant stride in eliminating barriers young people experience in accessing the labour market and employment. I share the hardships young people go through with extensive psychometric testing, and assessment centres often resulting in a lack of feedback or contact. As a result, being able to share my candidate journey with employers will hopefully bring effective change that champions the inclusion of young people in the workplace. Young people, regardless of how much experience they have, should be treated as an equal and be entitled to the same opportunities as others. I believe that Access Generation hiring young individuals to work with them directly benefits those they aim to support. I could not think of a better mission than that of this social enterprise. 

I am excited about communicating and building relationships with companies throughout this internship. Previously, as an employee, you have limited scope on implicating the application journey. However, this internship allows me to have an insider perspective within organisations to impact others’ experiences. I am looking forward to creating changes that support the younger generation so that individuals feel confident in accessing employment. 

This experience will improve my business management skills, as I communicate effectively between organisations and the team at Access Generation. The role will allow me to widen my social network as I gain exposure to the business sector. I am thoroughly looking forward to being in an organisation that creates change and I hope to gain invaluable transferable knowledge and skills that continue my employment journey.

Sophie’s message to employers

My message for employers is simple to believe in the ability of young people and to give them a chance to succeed. The continuous high expectations placed on individuals to have extensive experience at a young age are unfair. Only once there is a level playing field that is inclusive and diverse for all will young people be able to flourish.

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Did you know…?

Universities typically have an employability team who work to match students with employment opportunities including internships. An internship is often a short paid work experience and a chance for the student and employer to ‘try before they buy’. Internships are often part or fully funded.

For more information, visit their website https://www.lboro.ac.uk/services/careers/employers/sme/lborotalentmatch/