BUILDING MY SKILLS

Connecting employers and students, raising aspirations and inspiring the next generation

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Helping Students See What’s Possible

Building My Skills is designed for Years 9-12 and is delivered as part of the school timetable. 

During each workshop, students gain insight into different business sectors – some they may not have considered or even heard of before – while also learning direct from business role models about the essential employability skills needed in the workplace. 

Since launching in 2009, more than 60,000 students have completed Building My Skills. It is aligned to the Gatsby benchmarks and supports OFSTED expectations – helping make your careers education easier to plan. 

BUILDING MY SKILLS

Reasons To Take Part

Informed Career Choices

Local businesses help students understand real jobs, real pathways and what the world of work looks like.

Direct Links to Employers

Students connect with real employers and career opportunities operating in your local area.

Skills All Employers Value

The programme raises awareness of transferable employability skills such as communication, teamwork and professionalism.

Interview Experience

Students get the opportunity to part in mock interviews with real employers, building confidence and interview skills.

Fully Coordinated and Free

Structured and accessible to all learners, and free of charge. Simply let us know the dates and times in your timetable, and we'll arrange the business guests.

Supports Careers Guidelines

The programme aligns with Gatsby, Ofsted and the Careers & Enterprise Company guidelines. 

BUILDING MY SKILLS

Don't Just Take Our Word For It

John Green, Assistant Headteacher, St Robert of Newminster Catholic School

John Green

Assistant Headteacher

St Robert of Newminster Catholic School

“We have been involved with Building My Skills for many years now and it always provides really good opportunities for our students. The Mock Interview Day is their first chance to engage and communicate with an employer on a one to one basis. It helps them think about how they can develop their employability skills and how they can prepare themselves for when they leave school, and they get a real job interview.”

Emma McDermott, Senior Assistant Vice Principal, Castle View Enterprise Academy

Emma McDermott

Senior Assistant Vice Principal

Castle View Enterprise Academy

“BMS helps develop students’ understanding of the local labour market, career pathways and future opportunities available within our region. Through these encounters, BMS also helps challenge stereotypes around job roles and industries, broadening aspirations and raising awareness of different career routes. BMS has become an integral part of our careers programme and is embedded within our wider careers offer across the Academy.”

BUILDING MY SKILLS

Why It Matters

The process of reducing economic inactivity, expanding opportunity and increasing social mobility starts in our schools. We must connect our students with employers - prioritising connections with businesses from our region’s growth and foundation sectors.

Today’s students are our future workforce and businesses must work together to raise awareness of opportunities that exist on their doorstep, inspire them, and excite them about the world of work.

By doing this, we can raise employment aspirations and help more young people secure good quality, rewarding and sustainable careers. But without visibility of local opportunities, sectors, and career pathways, they can’t be what they can’t see.

Building My Skills provides a free, tried and tested model that ensures opportunities are accessible to all – a direct line of sight to good quality, local jobs and a platform for business and school collaboration.

Your Questions Answered

There is no cost for schools or businesses to take part in Building My Skills, and there are no membership levels. 

The only commitment required is the time your business or school dedicates to workshop delivery. 

Esh Group fully funds the programme, including: 

  • Programme coordination 
  • Filming and editing of the introductory video 
  • Student checkpoint materials 
  • Travel for students 
  • Regional Interview Day 
  • Marketing and communications 

Our focus is on providing a free, high-quality programme that supports schools and inspires the future workforce across all sectors.

There is no maximum cohort size — in fact, the more students engaged, the better. 

However, there are a few practical considerations: 

  • Students must be able to gather in a single space (e.g. a lecture hall or large assembly area) to receive each workshop.
  • Workshops are delivered lecture-style, with four different businesses presenting to the same cohort throughout the year.

As a result, cohort size is typically determined by the capacity of your delivery space.

Where it works logistically, schools may also choose to combine year groups to maximise participation. 

 

Each school has flexibility in how workshop slots are scheduled, but sessions must be timetabled during the school day (not before school, at lunchtime, or after school).

Common approaches include: 

  • Using part of a year group assembly, combined with a section of a lesson to create a 50-minute delivery window.
  • Scheduling sessions at different times across the timetable, rotating delivery to minimise disruption to any one subject.

Ultimately, the approach is decided by each school based on what works best for their timetable and students.

Checkpoints are short, practical activities that students complete after each workshop. They are provided in both hard copy and digital formats and are designed to be straightforward and engaging. 

Their purpose is to help students; reflect on what they’ve learned, develop key employability skills and prepare for life after education. 

Businesses delivering workshops will support students by providing advice and guidance on how to complete each checkpoint. These activities are intentionally low-burden for schools - they do not require marking and need minimal teacher input. 

We will track checkpoint completion after each workshop window, with schools providing short updates. A school’s overall checkpoint completion rate will help determine how many interview slots they are allocated at the Regional Interview Day. 

A single regional interview day will be held between 24th May and mid-June at a neutral venue capable of accommodating up to 1,000 students and around 140 business guests and programme staff. 

The exact date and venue are still to be confirmed and will be finalised following consultation with programme partners. 

Regardless of the final arrangements; travel support will be provided for all attending students, and a full day of structured activity will be planned alongside interviews, ensuring a valuable and engaging experience for all participants. 

School Locations

We are looking for secondary schools across the North East and Tees Valley to engage in Building My Skills. Join us and help your students take the first step towards their future career.

Northumberland

Newcastle

North Tyneside

Gateshead

South Tyneside

Sunderland

Durham

Darlington

Hartlepool

Stockton

Middlesbrough

Redcar & Cleveland

Enrol Your School

Sign up to take part in Building My Skills by completing the registration form.

Register Your Interest