Our approach meant students acquired new skills as well as new information. Students were pleased to have the rare opportunity to hear about a day in the life of a FTSE 100 Chief Executive, and posed their own thoughtful questions for Robert to answer such as, “How do you realise if an opportunity is important or not?” and “What's the biggest challenge you've had to overcome so far?”. The week included a special session with our Chief Executive Robert MacLeod. At the end, 80% said they felt very or extremely confident in their ability to succeed in the science industry, compared to 60% at the start of the week. Students had the chance to work as individuals and in small groups, allowing them to develop confidence in their own abilities and as team players. Unlike our normal placements, where students would often shadow employees, we developed a programme of content specifically for the students, offering a mix of expert presentations and interactive activities.

Speakers for Schools is a social mobility charity, supporting students from a range of different backgrounds, and this helped to ensure we worked with a mix of people in terms of gender, ethnicity, life experiences and social needs. We welcomed a diverse group of 115 students aged 14-18 onto our first ever online work experience week. In July 2020, with the support of Speakers for Schools, we ran a virtual programme: ‘Make the world cleaner and healthier with Johnson Matthey’. JM was keen to find a solution that would open options to an even wider group of students than previously, as location was no longer a factor. And more than 61% of employers in the UK had cancelled their physical work experience placements 1. A recent study 1 revealed that almost half of current undergraduates in the UK believe the pandemic has had a negative effect on their chances of finding a job. When COVID-19 struck, students were faced with the reality of an entirely disrupted education that would lead to an unpredictable future. Students learned a wide range of new skills and gained insight into how science and technology is used to make the world cleaner and healthier. Last month, with the support of social mobility charity, Speakers for Schools, JM welcomed 115 students from across the UK to its first online work experience programme.

Shadow Team GB by J.M. Johnson