Students get a taste of the real world

EIGHT more students are getting real life business experience as part of an exciting programme for financial whizz kids.

They are undertaking six-week, paid internships with companies including the Bank of New York Mellon, BUPA, Lloyds TSB and the Co-operative Bank as part of Oldham College’s Career Academy Programme in finance.

The college started the two year course, equivalent to two A-levels, in 2006 and its first six students graduated in May.

It is part of Career Academy UK which aims to raise the the aspirations of 16 to 19-year-olds.

Luke Naylor is currently spending six weeks at Lloyds TSB in Ashton and said: “I chose the Career Academy programme because it contained lots of practical experience as well as a good qualification and I thought it would set me up well for the future.

“I am really enjoying spending these six weeks in a work environment and learning all about the different job roles that exist.”

Nationally 92 per cent of Career Academy graduates go on to higher education, or an equivalent level of work-related training, compared with 40 per cent who were predicted to do so before joining the programme.

Oldham College tutor Paul McSweeney said: “We hope these internships will instil our students with the belief that a successful career in business is accessible to them.”