WEXO introduces…The Bridge
As often as the media writes about how hard the current generation of school and university leavers are finding it to build valuable and rewarding careers, employers complain just as much about something broken in our education system. They see a lack of preparedness for the work of world – the wrong skill sets and attitudes, low ‘employability’. Valid feedback perhaps but it is among the current crop of business owners that the concept of the ‘unpaid internship’ has developed, and the habit of rarely replying to online job applications become the norm.
Stressed employers, under-prepared young people, a barely hidden culture of exploitation that more than occasionally leads to a dysfunctional system that serves no-one. Yet at the same time two truths remain:
1. In these tough times business owners need “stars” and “A-players” more than ever.
2. There is an incredible pool of talent waiting to work with entrepreneurs and business owners. This new generation are more often than not talented, driven by values beyond money, fascinated by entrepreneurs and probably the most ambitious yet in terms of what they believe they can do. (7 of my colleagues at The Bridge remind me of this daily)
Just as Rushanara Ali, MP for Bethnal Green, saw for herself with the successful Fastlaners project in her constituency, great results can be achieved. The challenge is finding the win-win commercial model to provide something that lasts.
Which is what the team of entrepreneurs, business school faculty and leadership specialists behind The Bridge have come together to do. Our model is to build an eco-system of growing businesses, ambitious young people and The Bridge team. Everyone puts in, everyone takes out and no-one pollutes. Real paid work; the most personalised, modern training and development; young people delivering tangible commercial results. Our ‘Enterprise Community’ provides its population with ongoing support.
Our programmes strip away the theory and focus on what really counts:
* a high personalised learning experience – every Bridge associate has a performance coach throughout their 6 months with us
* the precise skills entrepreneurs need in their team members to help their business grow – taught by people who do this in their day job
* learn by doing – live business challenges replace bums on seats in the lecture theatre
* large doses of inspiration from people who have done incredible things
* micro class sizes, continual personalised assessment and feedback
* a focus on deepening an individual’s strength, confidence, and communication
And there is no better place to talk about this than here at WEXO with Robin and his team, who continue to do great things in this space.
Come along to our Open Wednesdays events to find out more…
Tom Hickman
Founder & Managing Director
www.bridge21c.com
