Opinion
Sutton Trust partners with the University of Liverpool.
Teens in Liverpool and surrounding areas will get support to access competitive jobs in finance and engineering, through a new partnership between the University of Liverpool and the Sutton Trust.
The partnership will see an expansion of two of the Trust’s successful Pathways programmes to the region, Pathways to Engineering, and Pathways to Banking and Finance. This expansion follows a highly successful partnership with the University of Liverpool on their Pathways to Law programme. The Pathways programmes support high-attaining students from lower-income backgrounds to access leading careers.
Students across both programmes will be supported over two academic years to build the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to go into higher education and the workplace. They’ll gain access to industry insight placements, experience undergraduate learning through lectures and workshops, network with professionals, and take part in social activities.
The programmes will benefit 70 students this year, who live within commuting distance from the university. The regional expansion marks an important step towards improving access to the professions for students in all areas of the country.
The expansion of Pathways to Banking and Finance to Liverpool has been supported by the programme’s founding corporate partner Deutsche Bank, alongside a consortium of other funding partners and supporters.
The Sutton Trust’s Pathways programmes are designed to widen access to the professions, providing both academic and sector specific support to help young people to make informed choices about their career paths. The in-person Pathways programme offers work experience placements, a programme of after-school and weekend events, and the chance to attend a four-day residential conference packed with talks, skills sessions and networking opportunities.
As a response to the pandemic, the Sutton Trust have also introduced a Pathways Online stream, to provide guidance, support and insight to students who do not live near a partner university, or who prefer to study remotely.
The Sutton Trust’s Pathways programmes are open to all Year 12 students who attend – and have always attended – a state school or college in the UK, and to pupils who live within a commutable distance to the university they are applying to. There are additional eligibility criteria which include having been entitled for free school meals, being the first in their family to attend university and achieving 5 GCSEs at grades 7 to 9. Applications for all of the Pathways programmes are now open and will close by November.
Analysis of UCAS data found that young people who took part in Pathways programmes between 2006 and 2016 were three and a half times more likely to receive an offer from a top university than their classmates with similar grades and from similar backgrounds.
James Turner, chief executive of the Sutton Trust said:
“Our Pathways programmes are a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain insights into competitive careers and to get a first foot on the ladder to university and the professions We are thrilled that students from Liverpool will now be able to access these opportunities which we know can make a real difference to their futures.”
Professor Gavin Brown, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Liverpool said:
“Building on our successful partnership with Sutton Trust in promoting access to legal career pathways, the University of Liverpool is delighted to expand this important work into new Pathways programmes for finance and engineering.
As a research-intensive university with a strong track-record of improving the social mobility of our students, we recognise the importance of widening access to university for all those with the potential to succeed.
By bringing together employers, academics and current students, we will support participants to go on to fulfilling careers including in advanced engineering, banking and finance/financial technology.”
Tiina Lee, Deutsche Bank CEO, UK & Ireland said:
“Deutsche Bank has long advocated for widening access to our industry, and as the Pathways to Banking & Finance founding corporate partner we’re proud to see this exciting expansion. It’s fantastic that high-achieving young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in Liverpool, Merseyside and the West Midlands will now have the opportunity to apply to future cohorts.
It’s crucial that the financial sector continues to recognise the importance of diverse incoming talent – regardless of socio-economic background. It’s critical to raise aspirations, dispel myths of banking and finance and ensure bright young people have the knowledge to make informed decisions about their own futures. We look forward to continuing our support of this transformative programme.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
- The Sutton Trust was founded by Sir Peter Lampl in 1997 to improve social mobility in Britain. The Trust has influenced government policy on more than 30 occasions; its programmes have to date given 50,000 young people the opportunity to change their lives; and it has published over 200 pieces of agenda-setting research.
- Deutsche Bank is the leading German bank with strong European roots and a global network. The bank focuses on its strengths in a Corporate Bank newly created in 2019, a leading Private Bank, a focused investment bank and in asset management. Deutsche Bank is the Founding Corporate Partner of the Pathways to Banking and Finance programme.
- The University of Liverpool is an international institution which aims to support students to become highly employable, creative, and culturally rich graduates, with the capacity to find employment that will enable them to be agents for change in a connected world.
- The university has over 22,000 students on campus and an alumni network of over 219,000 people.
- The University of Liverpool is one of the UK’s leading research institutions with an annual turnover of £583.5 million. Liverpool is a member of the Russell Group. Visit www.liv.ac.uk or follow us on twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/livuninews
- All travel costs and expenses for students are covered by the Pathways programmes.