Eagles: an employment programme that gets graduates off to a flying start!

The harsh realities of the widening wealth gap in society have grown starker in recent years. Those from a lower socio-economic background have been hit hardest by economic shocks – Covid-19 pandemic, a rising cost of living and the current energy crisis – and are increasingly excluded from opportunities afforded to those with a higher social position.

This is never clearer than in the business sector. A recent study by the Sutton Trust reported that employees in the UK’s top jobs are five times more likely to have attended a private school than the general population.  We know we have a vital role to play in addressing these inequalities.

ELBA’s Eagles programme is a bespoke graduate development scheme designed to facilitate social mobility for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. We know that the wealth of untapped talent and high potential at our doorstep is undervalued and underrepresented and recognise that socio-diversity is a critical enabler of business success.

To be part of the programme, candidates must meet specific social mobility criteria, including eligibility for free school meals and having parents who did not go to university. An inclusive recruitment process is used to target people with potential and who have a ‘can-do’ attitude to work.

All of our programmes start with pre-placement training that focuses on employability skills and familiarising the trainees with the world of work and what it means to be a professional. There then follows a paid internship of between 6–12 months with some of the most respected companies in the country.

The programme greatly improves graduates’ employability skills and shows that the world of banking and financial services is within their reach. To date, 342 Eagles have successfully completed the programme and a further 51 are currently on placement. We are very proud of our track record. Even in the pandemic year, when the entire programme was delivered remotely, 86% went on to find graduate level work and we are delighted that we have now returned to our pre-Covid success rate of 96% with an average salary of £31,460. There is also clear evidence of progression, with former Eagles within the financial sector now in managerial positions and hosting an intern themselves.

Julia Rosinska, a manager in the ING compliance team and previous Eagle intern, described the initiative as:

We run three bespoke programmes with ING, CBRE IM and CMS, as well as our original CSR programme which has been running since 2005. We are always looking for new organisations to join the 60+ companies that have supported Eagles programme over the years.

– Elena Orsini, Head of Human Resources ING, UK and Middle East

To find out more, visit eagles.org.uk or contact Sally Roberts, Eagles Programme Director,  sally.roberts@elba-1.org.uk.

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