Young people facing significant barriers to employment are being offered a life-changing chance to turn their futures around—thanks to a unique employability programme delivered by South Bank Colleges.

Recently, the college’s Entry to Employment team partnered with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Pret Foundation—the charitable arm of Pret A Manger—to deliver a five-day intensive programme aimed at young adults aged 18 to 24. Many of the participants are care leavers, single parents, or have experienced homelessness, trauma or abuse. The programme also received backing from The Royal Foundation, underscoring its importance and reach.

Over the course of the week, learners took part in a series of interactive and empowering workshops, including:

• Employability skills development

• Customer service training

• Interview preparation

• Insight sessions on Pret’s values, workplace behaviours and job roles

The programme was designed not just to prepare learners for the job market, but to break down personal and structural barriers to employment, build self-belief, raise aspirations, and directly connect participants to meaningful job opportunities.

The results speak for themselves.

On the final day, all 23 learners were offered interviews at 10 local Pret A Manger shops. Of those, 19 progressed to work trial shifts, and within just ten days, 12 young people had been offered paid employment—each with up to 420 hours of work.

“This programme is a shining example of what can happen when educators, employers, and public services come together with a shared purpose,” said Jumoke Oluponmile from South Bank Colleges’ Entry to Employment team. “It’s about giving young people not just a job, but a sense of direction and possibility.”

The collaboration between South Bank Colleges, the DWP, and the Pret Foundation is a blueprint for how targeted, real-world partnerships can transform lives. The Entry to Employment team continue to work with learners post-programme to ensure they are fully supported as they transition into the workplace.