Finding the right career path can be challenging for young people. Questions about qualifications, training opportunities, apprenticeships and how to get a foot on the career ladder can often feel overwhelming.
To help answer those questions, Express FM has partnered with Mountjoy and City of Portsmouth College to launch Workwise - a new project designed to give young people practical insights into careers, training opportunities and the skills employers are looking for.
The initiative will see a team of students from City of Portsmouth College receive training from Express FM presenter Paul Marsh before producing a series of podcasts featuring young employees from across Portsmouth. Through these conversations, listeners will discover the wide range of career paths, apprenticeships and training opportunities available throughout the city.
The podcast series will also feature interviews with employers, managers and business leaders who will share advice on recruitment, employability skills and what organisations are looking for when hiring new talent.
Portsmouth is a city bursting with young talent, while employers across the region are looking for skilled and motivated people to join their workforce. Workwise aims to bridge that gap by providing honest, real-world insights from people already succeeding in their chosen careers.
Simon Ingram, Managing Director at Mountjoy, said: "As an organisation, we are committed to supporting the next generation through apprenticeships and traineeships. We see first-hand the value of learning in a live environment, where practical experience is strengthened by formal study. This approach helps young people develop skills in a way that reflects their strengths, ambitions, and preferred way of learning, while also giving them the opportunity to earn as they progress.
"However, apprenticeships continue to face outdated stigma and misunderstanding, which can prevent young people from seeing them as a positive career choice. By acting as a Lead Sponsor for Workwise, we want to help break down these barriers, promote the benefits of vocational pathways, and celebrate the many young people who are already achieving success through them."
Paul Marsh, Express FM presenter who will be training the students, said: "What has pleased me most about this project has been seeing young people who were initially nervous about taking part, asking questions or sharing their experiences, leave with a smile on their face and a real sense of confidence in what they have achieved.
"More importantly, they can be proud of knowing they have helped the next generation make informed and educated decisions about their future and the opportunities apprenticeships can provide.
"It has been a pleasure to work with everyone involved and I hope each person has gained as much from the experience as I have."
David Lycett, Assistant Principal at City of Portsmouth College, said: "We are thrilled to be able to participate in this exciting project with Mountjoy and Express FM. It is a fantastic opportunity for our students to develop real-world communication, interviewing and employability skills.
"At City of Portsmouth College, we are passionate about promoting apprenticeships as a high-quality route into employment and career progression. These podcasts will play an important role in improving understanding of the wide range of apprenticeship pathways available across different sectors, while helping schools, families and the wider community hear real stories from local employers and apprentices.
"This project not only gives our students a platform to build confidence and industry experience, but also helps inspire young people across our community, showcasing authentic stories of success, ambition and opportunity in the workplace."
Express FM Co-Founder and Chair, Cheryl Buggy, said: "Express exists to serve the people of Portsmouth, so anything we can do to help businesses and the employees of the future succeed, is really important to. Its a very exciting and important project for us."
