Avado partners with BT Group to provide work-ready skills to over 1000 young people

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 it’s 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, CEO 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 FastFutures programme, please visit: https://www.avadolearning.com/fastfutures/

About the BT Group Manifesto

In December 2021 BT Group launched its new Manifesto, BT’s agenda for growth. It outlines their ambitious goals for change: their net zero carbon and circular economy pathways; their targets to help build their customers digital skills; their ambition to energise a more diverse digital talent movement. It also includes requirements for bold policy changes to enable this journey.

The BT Group Manifesto incorporates BT’s core beliefs and is split into three beliefs – to act more responsibly, create a more inclusive society and be more sustainable. By forming the BT Group Manifesto, BT is creating a movement to inspire businesses to commit to doing better; enabling the nation to take action on responsible technology, climate change and improving their digital skills.

Find out more about their beliefs here.

About Avado

“Avado is an award-winning learning partner who design and deliver digital, interactive learning experiences. These are aimed at equipping a diverse pool of UK talent with the future skills that they need to power both their own growth and that of their organisations. With over 10 years’ experience in the industry, Avado know that the world of work is changing more rapidly than ever. The demands on today’s organisations have drastically accelerated and so too has the emphasis on the impact their people make. Avado are proud to support some of the largest and most innovative organisations in the UK with these important people transformation challenges.”

For more information, please visit: www.avadolearning.com

About FastFutures

FastFutures is a ground-breaking work-readiness and digital skills programme for 18-24 year olds, delivered in partnership with employers such as BT. The programme covers modules such as marketing, finance and data, and is delivered through online classes, virtual site visits, a live group project on a real business case and mentoring sessions.

For more information, please visit:  www.avadolearning.com/fastfutures