Toby Ross, a final-year Philosophy student at the University of Bristol, has helped inspire a new initiative designed to give young people meaningful commercial experience and a stronger route into employment.
After approaching dozens of early-stage businesses to offer his skills and gain practical experience, Toby’s determination highlighted both the ambition of young people and the significant barriers many face when trying to secure their first opportunity in the workplace.
In response, Pioneering People has taken Toby under its wing and worked with him to co-launch The Founder Track, a four-week immersive competition created to help young people develop practical skills, demonstrate tangible achievements and strengthen their CVs at a time when youth unemployment remains a serious national concern.
The initiative has been developed against the backdrop of the Milburn Report, which highlighted the growing number of young people struggling to make the transition from education into employment and reflects Pioneering People’s belief that traditional recruitment processes can too often overlook capable and ambitious candidates who may not fit a conventional profile or already possess extensive professional experience.
Rather than preparing young people simply to become small parts of large corporate structures, The Founder Track will challenge participants to think entrepreneurially, create opportunities for themselves and adapt to the demands of a rapidly changing employment market.
Over the course of four weeks, competitors will be introduced to the fundamentals of B2B sales, entrepreneurship and relationship-building before putting those skills into practice in real commercial situations, earning points for achieving agreed outcomes and recording their progress on a live leaderboard.
The programme is intended to deliver meaningful benefits for both the participants and the wider business, as competitors will support Pioneering People’s growth while helping the company create further employment opportunities founded on the flexibility, transparency and equality that underpin its approach.
At the same time, participants will leave with practical experience, measurable results and a clearer understanding of how businesses attract clients, build relationships and achieve sustainable growth.
Toby said: “I have always been drawn to start-ups because they give you the opportunity to work closely with founders, take on real responsibility and see the direct impact of your contribution, but gaining that first opportunity can be incredibly difficult when you do not yet have extensive experience on your CV.
“The Founder Track gives young people the chance to learn practical business skills and apply them in a real-world environment, allowing them to demonstrate what they can do, build their confidence and create tangible results that they can take forward into their careers.”
Rita Kastrati, founder of Pioneering People, said: “The programme brings together commercial innovation and genuine social impact, because we do not simply want to prepare young people to apply for existing roles; we want to give them the confidence, practical skills and experience they need to create opportunities for themselves and, ultimately, help create new jobs for others.”
