A Capital Experience 2015
PR Pack for Schools and Colleges
We hope you and your students are looking forward to attending A Capital
Experience on Thursday 10 December 2015.
We have produced the following PR pack to help you promote your involvement,
both internally to staff, parents and other students, and externally to local media.
We are also planning to promote the event through our own communications
channels and social media and are hoping to gain some media coverage in London.
If you have any questions please contact Becky Clarke, Communications Officer, on
020 7986 5494 or email becky.clarke@careerready.org.uk
Contents
1. Draft news story for website / intranet / newsletter
2. Draft press release for local media
3. Social media tips
4. Guidance on taking and sharing photos
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Draft news story for internal / external promotion
Students at [INSERT SCHOOL/COLLEGE NAME] begin journey to career
success
On Monday 10 December 2015 [X (number)] students from [INSERT SCHOOL /
COLLEGE NAME] travelled to London to kick start their Career Ready programme,
and enjoyed a behind-the-scenes visit to [INSERT COMPANY NAME]. The event,
called A Capital Experience, was organised in partnership with Career Ready, a UK
wide charity linking employers with schools and colleges to open up the world of
work to young people.
In the morning the students joined 1,600 other young people from across England,
Wales and Northern Ireland, all of whom are beginning the Career Ready
programme. Students heard from motivational speaker Action Jackson, as well as
Career Ready alumni who have achieved career success.
As part of their visit to [INSERT COMPANY NAME] in the afternoon students were
given [DETAILS OF VISIT AGENDA AND SPEAKERS INVOLVED].
Career Ready offers a programme of masterclasses, mentoring, workplace visits and
internships that helps students prepare for the world of work. [INSERT
SCHOOL/COLLEGE NAME] has been working with Career Ready for [X (number)]
years to help students gain the skills, attitudes and experience they need to success
in their future careers.
Anne Spackman, Chief Executive of Career Ready, said: “It is always fantastic to
welcome students from right across the country to experience work and life in the
capital. We know that for some of them it will have been their first trip to London, and
to walk into the glass and marble towers of the capital and realise that they are
welcome and that someone like them could work there, is an inspirational moment
for students.
“We hope that moment of inspiration will stay with them throughout the programme
and motivate them to aim higher in their future careers.”
[INSERT QUOTE FROM SCHOOL/COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE].
For more information about Career Ready visit: www.careerready.org.uk
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[INSERT SCHOOL/COLLEGE LOGO]
[Insert date]
DRAFT PRESS RELEASE
Capital experience inspires students from [insert name of
school/college] to aim high for career success
On Thursday 10 December [xx number] students from [insert name of school/college and
area] travelled to London to take part in A Capital Experience, a national event organised by
Career Ready for more than 1,700 young people across the UK. The event, which included a
visit to some of London’s biggest employers, marked the start of this year’s Career Ready
programme at [insert name of school/college].
Career Ready aims to make young people work ready by delivering a programme of
mentoring, masterclasses, workplace visits and internships in schools and colleges across
the UK. [insert name of school/college] has been working with Career Ready for [X
(number)] years to help our students gain the skills, attitudes and experience they need to
success in their future careers.
A Capital Experience provides the first workplace visit for [insert school/college name]
students and this year they visited [insert company name]. During the visit, students were
given [insert details of afternoon visit].
Speaking of his/her experience in London, [Insert name of student] said: [INSERT QUOTE
FROM STUDENT].
Taking part in the Career Ready programme can significantly improve students’ achievement
both in school or college and afterwards. 98% of students who completed the Career Ready
programme in 2015 said their aspirations had been raised as a result.
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Anne Spackman, Chief Executive of Career Ready, said: “It is always fantastic to welcome
students from right across the country to experience work and life in the capital. We know
that for some of them it will have been their first trip to London, and to walk into the glass
and marble towers of the capital and realise that they are welcome and that someone like
them could work there, is an inspirational moment for students.
“We hope that moment of inspiration will stay with them throughout the programme and
motivate them to aim higher in their future careers.”
[Insert name of representative from school/college – the following is a suggested quote,
please amend as necessary] “We are committed to giving our students the best
opportunities possible and the Career Ready programme is a fantastic way to inspire young
people to consider careers they may never have dreamt of previously. The trip to London is
always a highlight for them and it’s great to hear how much they enjoyed it again this year.
“We are always looking for more businesses to offer our students support during the
programme, whether through mentoring, internships, workplace visits delivering a
masterclass. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact [insert contact details
here].”
Ends
For more information or interview opportunities please contact: [insert your contact
details]
Notes to editors:
Career Ready

Career Ready is a national charity that links schools and colleges with employers to
help prepare young people for the world of work.

Established in 2002, nearly 7,000 young people aged 16-19 have been through our
programme, which runs alongside their academic studies.

The Career Ready programme offers practical learning to help young people develop
the skills they need for a career in an area linked to their academic studies or
interests.

The programme is built on four pillars which give students regular contact with
working people and places: face-to-face mentoring by someone in work;
masterclasses to help develop key skills and attitudes needed in their future career;
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workplace visits that provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of local and national
employers; and work-based experiences and internships to allow students to put
their learning into practice in a real work environment.

We currently work with nearly 200 schools and colleges across England, Wales,
Northern Ireland and Scotland, largely in urban areas of social need.

More than 700 employers and approximately 4,000 employer volunteers deliver the
programme and sit on the local business boards, set up around each centre to create
a sustainable connection to the local employment market.

In Scotland, the only place in the UK with comprehensive destination data, 97% of
our 2013 and 2014 students went on to a positive destination, of whom 25% went
into work or work-based training, 54% are at university (often the first in their family to
go on to higher education) and 21% are in further education.

In 2014, nearly 20% of Career Ready students across the UK applied for an
apprenticeship or school-leaver programme, twice as many as those completing the
programme in 2007.

Career Ready is cited as an example of best practice for employer engagement in
the latest statutory government guidance for both schools and colleges, as well as in
the latest CBI Scotland report, Delivering Excellence - A New Approach for Schools
in Scotland.

20% of businesses who support us have recruited at least one student they met
through the Career Ready programme; 80% of businesses state they would employ a
Career Ready student as a result of their experience.

For more information visit: www.careerready.org.uk
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Tips for social media
The theme of this year’s A Capital Experience is ‘Let’s get started’. If your
school/college uses social media, please promote your involvement in A Capital
Experience in the following ways:
Use hashtags:
 #CapitalExperience15
 #LetsGetStarted
Mention us using Twitter handle @CareerReadyUK. It is also great to mention the
employer organisation that you visit in the morning – you can search for their Twitter
handle before the event.
Please share photos, comments and quotes – we will retweet and respond to your
messages throughout the day.
If you would like to mention or quote any of the afternoon’s speakers, their handles
are:
 Action Jackson, motivational speaker: @Actionjackson
 Anne Spackman, Chief Executive Career Ready: @annespack
For anyone new to social media we have prepared some sample tweets to start you
off:





Having a great time at @CareerReadyUK #CapitalExperience15
“#IWantToBe the best that I can be” say students at #CapitalExperience15
@CareerReadyUK
Inspiring words from @Actionjackson – motivating students to achieve more
#CapitalExperience15
(Attach a picture of the day) The room is buzzing with excitement at
#CapitalExperience15 @CareerReadyUK
It’s #inspiring to hear from @annespack from @CareerReadyUK for
#CapitalExperience15
We also encourage you to tag our Facebook page in posts.
Students
While we encourage students to tweet about their experiences, please remind them
that during the afternoon’s visit to an employer they are in a formal business place
and should behave professionally throughout.
Please ask students to use the hashtag #IWantToBe and tweet their future
ambitions. This will be explained further at the event. They can also use the
hashtags above.
We have recently introduced a new Twitter handle, @IAmCareerReady, aimed
specifically at students. We also have a presence on Instagram, @CareerReadyUK,
and would encourage students to follow and mention us on both of these channels.
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Guidance on taking and sharing photos
If your school/college has a camera that you can use, we encourage you to bring it
with you to the event. It is particularly useful to have a photo of your students with
any senior executives they meet, and natural shots of the students taking part in an
activity or listening to a presentation.
We have asked companies to take and share photos and members of staff from
Career Ready will also be attending some visits to take pictures.
As part of their application to the programme, your students are asked to give their
permission for Career Ready to use any images of them in our marketing and PR
materials, but anyone who feels uncomfortable with this is welcome to say no.
However, you may also wish to ask them to complete your own in-house photo
consent forms.
Please share any photos you take on the day with us by emailing Becky Clarke,
Communications Officer: becky.clarke@careerready.org.uk
As outlined above, please also tweet images from the day and mention us
@CareerReadyUK using #CapitalExperience15
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