Elevate Barclays London: Building Confidence, Skills and Future Vision

Over the past few months, our London Elevate Barclays cohort has taken part in a powerful series of sessions designed to equip young people with the confidence, knowledge and skills needed to step into their futures with clarity.

Each session has built on the last - combining career insight, real-world exposure, personal development and practical tools, all delivered by professionals who generously gave their time to support the next generation.

Understanding the World of Work

One of the early sessions focused on interview skills, career pathways and emerging technology. Students explored:

• How interviews work and how to prepare effectively

• Apprenticeship routes and early careers opportunities

• The growing role of Artificial Intelligence and technology in the workplace

• Through hands-on activities and interactive discussions, students had the chance to experiment with AI tools, develop their confidence in answering interview questions and begin thinking seriously about their own career journeys.

Hearing directly from professionals about their personal career stories — including both challenges and successes - helped students understand that career paths are rarely linear, and that resilience, authenticity and curiosity matter.

Integrating into New Environments

Another key workshop centred around a topic many young people quietly worry about — fitting into a new workplace, college or professional setting.

Students explored:

• Building positive workplace relationships

• Communicating with confidence

• Professional behaviour and expectations

• Online safety and financial awareness

Open conversations created a safe space for students to ask questions, share thoughts and reflect on real-life scenarios. The atmosphere was supportive, energetic and full of peer encouragement.

Future Planning and Vision Building

In a later session, the focus shifted to self-reflection, goal setting and long-term planning.

Students:

• Identified their personal strengths, interests and values

• Learned how transferable skills apply across different careers

• Created 3-year SMART goal vision boards

  
  

This creative exercise encouraged young people to think beyond immediate next steps and start mapping out the kind of future they want to build. The level of thought, honesty and ambition shown in their vision boards was inspiring to see.

Personal Branding & Staying Safe in a Digital World

As the programme progressed, students explored:

• Developing a personal brand

• Presenting themselves professionally

• Understanding financial crime, cyber risks and online safety

Sessions on digital awareness and fraud prevention were particularly impactful, helping young people understand how to protect themselves in an increasingly online world.

The Impact We’re Seeing

Across the London cohort, we’ve seen:

• Growing confidence in communication

• Stronger self-awareness

• More curiosity about career pathways

• Increased understanding of workplace expectations

• Honest, thoughtful conversations about the future

Most importantly, young people are leaving sessions feeling more prepared, more informed and more confident in their ability to succeed.

Thank You to Our Supporters

These sessions would not be possible without the time, knowledge and commitment of the many professionals who supported our students, as well as our programme partners.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped create a safe, inspiring and opportunity-rich environment for our young people.