One of the highlights of this partnership so far was a two-day workshop in Margate co-hosted with Rise Up as part of their Building Aspirations programme. The initiative supports 16–30-year-olds from areas with high unemployment, helping them take confident steps towards work or further training.
Backed by funding from the Mears Foundation, the partnership is aimed at widening access to employment through hands-on support and mentoring, and helping young people take their first steps into the world of work.
The event welcomed 25 young people from a range of backgrounds who took part in sessions focused on building practical life and career skills — including interview techniques, budgeting, goal setting and confidence building.
Volunteers from Mears also sat on a Q&A panel, giving young people the chance to ask about their career journeys, goals, and challenges they’ve faced.
Several young people had already applied to Mears apprenticeship intake for this year and joined the sessions to learn more about Mears as an employer. By the end of the event, most participants had either applied or were planning to – some even expressing interest in roles in neighbouring Folkestone and Dover.
Oliver Jarret is 18 years old and is currently in his second year at college studying carpentry having previously missed out on the opportunity to pursue his dream career in Electrical due to his original GCSE results. He joined the two-day programme to progress his plans.
He commented:
I was keen to take part in the programme as it is opportunity for me to get one step closer to getting my apprenticeship.
Jamie Lee Ward, Apprenticeships Project Manager at Mears Group, said:
It was an incredible experience to bring our Rise Up partnership to Thanet. Getting out into the community and speaking directly with young people who might feel unsure about their career prospects is exactly the kind of engagement we need. Helping to shift that mindset and show them what’s possible is what our apprenticeship programme is all about. It was fantastic to see how many left feeling inspired and keen to start their journey with us.
Roman Dibden, CEO Rise Up, added:
We had the privilege of working with a number of inspiring young people from the Thanet area. Each one showed up ready to grow, learn and take steps toward a brighter future. In an area where youth unemployment sits at 10.3%, more than double the national average - this work isn’t just meaningful, it’s essential. We couldn’t be prouder of every single young person who took part. Their energy, resilience, and ambition were nothing short of powerful. We can’t wait to see where the next steps take them and we’ll be right there, cheering them on every step of the way.
Mears looks forward to building on this work with Rise Up and continuing to support young people as they take their next steps into employment.
