Avado’s FastFutures programme, a digital business skills programme that helps young people aged between 18 and 24  get work-ready, is now enabled by BT. Today, BT become the programme’s first headline sponsor.

FastFutures, is a work-readiness programme which provides young people from all backgrounds with the digital business skills organisations need, kickstarting their careers and addressing the skills gap for employers. Since its launch in 2020, FastFutures has had over 5000 young people graduate from the programme.

The partnership sees BT enroll its 1000th young person on FastFutures. BT has already helped support almost 900 young people (to date) from all backgrounds to develop skills and confidence. As part of BT’s Skills for Tomorrow programme, BT is committed to mentoring 400 young people to gain workplace ready skills.

Research from FastFutures highlights the concerns of young people seeking work as youth employment struggles to recover following the global pandemic. Nearly half, (48%) of women and over a third of men (38%) aged between 18-24 reported they struggled to stand out in the current and highly competitive job market due to lack of relevant workplace skills. Through the partnership with BT Group, FastFutures will supercharge the learning and development of young professionals, arming them with the future-proof skills they need to stand out in a competitive landscape.

Amy Crawford, COO of Avado said: “I’m absolutely delighted that BT Group has extended its partnership with Avado’s FastFutures programme from founding partner to lead sponsor. The partnership will enable the company to unlock a talent pool of ambitious young individuals, all equipped with the digital and analytical skills they need to support BT Group’s own ambitious goal of creating a diverse, digital talent movement. BT Group’s support for the programme is a really clear statement of the commitment we have to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and the value that they place on future skills; supporting a group of young people who will help power future innovation”.

The 12-week online learning course, includes modules on data, marketing, finance, innovation, teamwork and the importance of diversity in teams. As part of the course, learners receive mentoring from industry leaders, providing them with not only practical skills but also real world examples to follow.

Lauren Kahn, Responsible Tech & Human Rights Director, BT said: “BT has a long history of inspiring young people into dynamic careers and providing practical support to help them achieve their goals. Now more than ever we are committed to help build a more diverse digital talent movement for the UK. Working with FastFutures enables us to build on our success to date and support more young people, helping accelerate their development and boost their opportunities into exciting careers such as digital and data.”

For more information on the Fast Futures programme, please visit: https://www.avadolearning.com/fastfutures/

See the article in FE News here