One of the things we are most proud of at True Potential is the fact we were on of the very first businesses to have committed to the Social Mobility Pledge. Launched last Spring by the Harrison Centre for Social Mobility and Justine Greening MP, the Pledge commits businesses to progressing talent from all backgrounds.
You can see the Pledge in action across our head office. Through apprenticeships, the True Potential Academy, and fair recruitment, we are helping people from all backgrounds progress.
To celebrate the Social Mobility Pledge and how it is being applied at True Potential, a booklet Social Mobility in the 4th Industrial Revolution has been produced.
Success stories include Lucy Ingram and Kieran Howe. Lucy joined True Potential as a receptionist in July 2017, which was a great starting point for meeting and working with almost everyone in the building. Encouraged by her manager, and after speaking with the head of our Development department, Lucy moved to the True Potential Academy to train as a developer.
Kieran Howe is an Apprentice Information Technology support worker, one of the most integral roles in our business. “I joined the company as an apprentice in January 2017, and well as earning a wage, I’ve been able to earn qualifications, through the level three programme I have recently completed, and through the level 4 programme I am midway through,” he says.
Social Mobility is all about supporting career development for anyone seeking opportunity. Artificial barriers to progression such as what school you went to, the type of accent you have, family connections and other factors not connected to performance are eliminated via the Social Mobility Pledge.
True Potential Managing Partner, and chairman of the Harrison Foundation, David Harrison, explains why he was moved to set up the Social Mobility Pledge. “Like many of the people I grew up with in County Durham, I probably would have had to find work down a coal pit in the late sixties and seventies.”
However, through his ambitious entrepreneurial streak, he carved out his own social mobility journey and has made a hugely successful Fintech business at True Potential.
“Accent, upbringing and family connections with people at the top of organisations still unfairly influence recruitment and promotions in many workplaces,” David said. “That has always struck me as unfair to employees and counter-productive to businesses. I had to battle against that tide when I was starting out, so I was determined that True Potential should help to level the playing field for young people today. Social mobility benefits individuals, local communities.”
As the 4th Industrial Revolution progresses the class ceiling is being broken, and we’re proud of the progress our colleagues and peers are making at True Potential.
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