Leading firms sign up to e-career mentoring scheme for school students

A new programme to help young people access work experience in the legal sector has received support from some top firms, as well as the government's skills minister, Matthew Hancock.

The Financial and Legal Skills Partnership’s 'Get In Get On' scheme is a one-month programme that sees successful professionals act as e-career mentors to support students aged 16-19. The programme was originally targeted at those aiming for careers in the financial services sector, but it has been expanded to the legal profession and has already attracted interest from firms such as Allen & Overy, Ashurst and Norton Rose Fulbright, each of which has agreed to provide a minimum of 10 mentors for the scheme.

Matthew Hancock, the skills minister, said: "I am very happy to support Get In Get On, which connects young people in school with mentors from the world of financial services and accountancy, and now will include those from the legal sector. I welcome the commitment to helping young people make more of the employability and career management opportunities that are available to them. From e-mentoring, speaking in schools, work placements, work experience and apprenticeships, there’s much that can be made from sustained and robust relationships between schools and employers."