BOLTON Sixth Form College is ensuring its students not only gain an excellent set of qualifications, but are ready to make it in today’s increasingly competitive employment market.

The college is opening up the world of work to its students by linking up with the UK charity Career Ready, building on its already highly valued work experience programme.

Careers Ready, which has a network of high profile businesses ready to help equip young people with employability skills, is backed by NHS England and AstraZeneca.

The year-long programme runs alongside students' college work and is delivered by employer volunteers who provide masterclasses, mentoring, workplace visits and internships. The charity says this will help students compete with the best in the country.

Students apply to go on the scheme and come out with a better understanding of the workplace.

When the scheme is launched in September, it will focus on health and nursing at first.

Bolton Sixth Form College principal Steve Wetton said: “Careers Ready is an established brand which is recognised. Through the programme students get want one-to-one support and mentoring to give them the skills needed in the workplace.

“The work placements are of huge value to the student and of high quality.”

Career Ready works with the private, public and voluntary sectors, from small, independent businesses to multi-nationals, including a quarter of the FTSE 100.

The programme is designed to give young people the confidence, skills and networks to achieve their potential.

And through volunteering for Career Ready, the charity says employers get the chance to develop their own management skills and find the next generation of talented employees.

Sixth formers heard from those who had embarked on the programme, including one who said he had transformed from a quiet shy person to one with the confidence to set up his own business and gain an internship with ITV.

He had been invited to apply for the programme and says his journey into the world of work began after he was accepted.

Duncan McCombe, aged 20 from Stockport, who is now an ambassador for the programme said: “I would say to any sixth-former to 100 per cent do it, I was a quiet person but you develop in a safe environment where you are encouraged.”

Young people say the programme provides an opportunity for them to develop further.

Bolton sixth form student Megan Calvert, aged 17, said: “I would really like to go through the programme.

“I am studying child play learning development and we have to ensure it is a safe environment for children to develop and we need it ourselves. It was really inspiring listening to Duncan.”

Kiara Kirkman, aged 17, added: “It sounds like a really good programme to build your confidence.

“Duncan is so confident, you would never have thought he shy.”

Employers who want to make a difference to the next generation of professionals contact the college.