“I never thought there would be a place for me there” 

 

When a student at Stepney All Saints School scribbled this sentence into their feedback form – “I never thought there would be a place for me there” – it landed with weight. For the team at Reed in Partnership, those words captured the very essence of why they do what they do. 

Since late 2023, Reed in Partnership has been working with Sustainable Trading to connect students from schools in East and Central London with professionals from the trading and finance industry. It’s one strand of a much broader mission – one that spans entire communities – but this particular collaboration focuses on young people and the barriers they face transitioning from education into working life. 

Together, the two organisations have delivered a series of volunteer-led careers events aimed at bridging the gap between the classroom and the City. The model is refreshingly simple: real people, from real companies, having honest conversations about how they got to where they are. But the impact has been anything but ordinary. 

We spoke with Connor Natella, Operational Hub Lead, and Jamie Fox, Enterprise Coordinator, to understand how this partnership began, how it’s grown and what it reveals about the systems shaping opportunity – or holding it back.

 

    

Not a lack of talent, just a lack of [early] access 

“We’re not just talking about jobs. We’re talking about confidence, opportunity and levelling the playing field,” said Connor.  

Reed in Partnership runs the Central London Careers Hub, part of a national network focused on improving employability outcomes. In this role, they work directly with schools, colleges and employers to ensure students get the experiences and guidance they need to feel ready for life beyond education. 

The need is urgent. In boroughs like Tower Hamlets and Lewisham, economic inequality is stark – 1 in 3 young people in London live in poverty, more than Scotland and Wales combined. Many, particularly those from low-income households, have limited exposure to the various career opportunities available. This lack of visibility takes a toll: 1 in 3 secondary school students report feeling a lack of optimism about their futures, and 1 in 8 young people are now not in education, employment or training. 

Career readiness scores are lower than the national average, and school attendance remains in crisis – with persistent absence rates at 18.4%, meaning nearly 1 in 5 students miss at least 10% of learning time.  

“There are more children living in poverty in London than there are in Scotland and Wales combined,” said Connor. “And yet, we’re surrounded by opportunity. If the system isn’t creating connections between the two, we have to ask – why not?” 

That’s where partnerships like this come in. 

From one conversation to a shared mission 

The partnership between Reed in Partnership and Sustainable Trading began with a shared concern: students in schools mere minutes from major financial institutions weren’t seeing the sector as accessible, or even relevant, to them. 

“When Viki from Sustainable Trading approached us in 2023, the aim was clear,” recalled Jamie. “Let’s help open up the finance and trading industry to young people who’d never previously considered it, and make sure those opportunities are visible and accessible.” 

What began with a single school visit in late 2023 quickly grew into a scalable, repeatable model. 

The first school visit took place in late 2023 at a school in Surrey Quays. A dozen volunteers from Sustainable Trading member firms took part in carousel-style conversations with small groups of students. There were no slides, no staging, just real people, sharing real experiences and answering questions.  

“Students don’t want presentations,” said Jamie. “They want real conversations. They want to know what went wrong, how you figured it out and what you’d do differently.” 

The effect was immediate and clearly something worth building on. 

Refining the model, supporting the mission 

Since that first event, the partnership has grown in both reach and impact. Sessions have since been held at Canary Wharf College Crossharbour, Bishop Challoner Catholic School and Stepney All Saints School. Over 35 volunteers from Capital Group, M&G, ING, Instinet, Investec, RBC Capital Markets and others and engaged with approximately 865 students. 

Formats have included career carousels, informal Q&As and speed-networking sessions, each shaped to fit the physical space, the needs of the school and the comfort level of the students. 

One particularly effective addition has been the inclusion of current entry level employees. “They were among the most valuable parts of the day,” Jamie said. “Students and staff responded really strongly to hearing from people who were just a few years ahead of them.” 

As the partnership evolved, Reed in Partnership also realised that volunteers needed help telling their stories in a way that resonated with students. 

“It seems simple – come in and talk about your job,” said Connor. “But actually, if you’re not used to it, it’s surprisingly hard. So, we started putting together guidance, hosting webinars and briefing sessions to give volunteers a structure to work with.” 

These enhancements ensured each event delivered on its full potential, for students, teachers and volunteers alike. 

“That authenticity is everything,” said Connor. “Young people can sniff out inauthenticity straight away. When you get it right, the energy in the room is electric.” 

And the feedback confirmed it. Students stayed back at lunch to keep the conversation going. Careers leaders asked for repeat visits. Volunteers described the sessions as more meaningful – and more human – than traditional careers talks. 

The ripple effect, from inspiration to systemic impact 

This partnership is about more than a series of inspiring mornings. It’s creating space for something bigger: systemic change. 

“The best careers education is employer-informed – but the most powerful is employer-led,” said Connor. “It brings credibility. It shows what’s possible. And for many students, it’s the first time they’ve seen someone like themselves in a professional role.” 

For students, the impact is immediate. “We’ve seen students who never thought finance was for them suddenly interested in business, in trading, in technology – just because someone took the time to talk to them,” said Jamie. 

And the ripple effect goes further. “Better careers provision is linked to improved attendance, behaviour, optimism and even safeguarding,” said Connor. “If you get this right, it changes the culture of a school. It’s not a silver bullet, but it moves the needle.” 

These outcomes aren’t anecdotal. The team uses tools like the Future Skills Questionnaire to track student confidence and career readiness before and after interventions. Early data shows rising optimism and tangible improvements in participating schools. 

Jamie, who directly supports careers leaders in 25 institutions, sees the potential clearly. “These events are building blocks,” he says. “We map out follow-up activities so students who show interest in finance or trading can keep moving forward. That journey has to be continuous. It can’t just be a one-off moment.” 

Rewriting the rules on work experience 

Reed in Partnership is now leading the charge on a national reimagining of work experience.  

“The traditional model – five days in Year 10, sourced by the student – hasn’t changed in 40 years,” said Connor. “It’s totally inequitable. If your mum works at a law firm, great. If she doesn’t, good luck.” 

The new approach aims to build structured, progressive experiences that begin earlier in the school journey, with a mix of in-school sessions, short immersive activities and employer-led projects that better reflect the modern workplace and modern student needs. 

“That might mean a half-day encounter followed by a reflective project,” said Connor. “It might mean a series of employer-led sessions across a term. The point is to create experiences that are accessible, sustainable and genuinely impactful.” 

He added, “Students are loyal. If someone from your company speaks to them in school, inspires them, makes them feel seen – they remember that. When they’re applying for internships or jobs, they’ll look for you. This is about future talent, community connection and long-term value.” 

A call to industry 

So, what can employers do? 

“You don’t need to overhaul your HR strategy,” said Jamie. “Start with a morning. Share your story. Show up as yourself. You never know the impact that might have.” 

Connor agrees. “There’s never been a better time. The policy landscape is shifting. There’s growing recognition that employer engagement isn’t just a nice extra, it’s essential. And we’re here to make it easy for companies to get involved.” 

For students who might otherwise never see a place for themselves in finance, or in the professional world at all, these encounters can be life changing. The goal now is to expand that reach, deepen the experience and continue closing the gap between potential and opportunity. 

Interested in learning more about how your company can get involved? Reach out to Reed in Partnership or Sustainable Trading to take the first step in changing a young person’s future.