Leicester OnTrack to advance social mobility
Martin Perfect, Employer Relationship Manager in the Careers Service at the University of Leicester, has discussed the challenges of advancing social mobility and the Widening Participation schemes available to students at the University.
In his article, Martin said: “It appears that after a sustained period of talking and awareness raising we are starting to see green shoots of behavioural change in increasing access to the leading professions. The reason that I believe this is because we are now starting to address not only getting more students into Higher Education but also creating increased demand for this talent into leading professions.
“Rightly so, up until very recently a huge amount of focus has been on opening and increasing access to Higher Education. Through a variety of funded initiatives it is clear to see more universities launching excellent Widening Participation schemes to give students the experience and opportunities that they deserve. But what happens once they are at university and start to turn their attention to careers?”
The University of Leicester has implemented Widening Participation schemes to advance social mobility.
The Leicester OnTrack programme is designed to enhance social mobility by ensuring that those from disadvantaged backgrounds can fully access and engage with higher education. Leicester OnTrack provides exclusive access to bursaries, networking opportunities and workshops as well as a wide range of opportunities available through the Students’ Union, Career Development Service and other Student Service.
- More information is available here or email the OnTrack team via ontrack@le.ac.uk
As well as the OnTrack programme, the University is also launching a Professional Mentoring programme. The Professional Mentoring Scheme matches University of Leicester students with industry professionals and alumni to mentor and support students transition into their career. The scheme is for students who are looking to gain further insight into a particular industry or career path.