Shaw Trust’s supported internships help young people aged 16 – 24 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) to get work experience. We continue to support these young people upon completing their internship in the hope they get a paid job.
On average around 70% of our interns who complete the programme get a paid job within six months. This is thanks to the incredible wrap-around support our teams provide to interns, the valuable experience they gain on their placements and the passion of our teams to support young people in becoming independent.
Recently our internships delivered in partnership with Heathrow Airport have been extremely successful. Out of eight interns to complete their internships with Heathrow, six of them were successful in getting a paid job within the airport and other nearby sites.
These aren’t just numbers, they’re real people, whose real lives have been changed. Behind every number is a young person who has grown in confidence and developed new skills. Take a closer look at the journeys of three interns whose experience at Heathrow Airport shows the true impact of supported internships.
LM started the internship in September 2024 with a placement as a Heathrow Helper. LM gained hands on experience assisting passengers, printing tickets, answering questions and showing passengers where the correct terminals, buses and transport links were. This work experience has boosted LMs confidence and capability. Their dedication and progress have led to being offered a paid job in an office near where they live.
LM said “The internship has really helped me build my confidence and gain great knowledge. I have developed new skills and built relationships on the way. What I have learnt I am ready to take forward to help not only myself but others in my new job”.
Much like LM, Esha joined the internship with a placement as a Heathrow Helper. She was very quiet and had challenges in talking to people face-to-face. Whilst on the internship Esha made amazing progress in improving her social skills. She was successful in applying and interviewing for a paid job in B&M whilst completing her placement as a Heathrow Helper. The skills she learnt through paid retail work alongside her internship placements meant that when she finished the internship Esha was confident in applying for a paid Heathrow Helper job. Esha was successful and will start after completing all the necessary training.
Esha said “The course helped me build my confidence when interacting. I now feel comfortable starting conversations and expressing myself in group settings”.
When Leo joined the internship, he was eager to learn but faced challenges in socialising, confidence and communication. Leo was passionate about his dream of working in an airport or aviation. Leo showed a deep interest in learning all about airport operations. After completing his internship with Heathrow, Leo was offered a paid role with World Duty Free at the airport. This success shows just how hard working and determined he was to succeed. With help from the team Leo’s confidence grew particularly in face-to-face interactions. He learnt to adapt to new and changing environments and improved his social skills.
Leo said “The internship really helped me to build my confidence and made me feel valued. Getting hands on experience has helped me to understand the work environment. I’ve learned how to handle real life situations, and this has really improved my problem solving and communication skills. I never thought this would happen for me, getting a job in Heathrow is like a dream come true”.
Partnerships with employers like Heathrow Airport are vital in supporting our work. These young people bring real value to the workplaces they join, and that’s reflected in the number who go on to securing jobs after finishing the internship.
We would like to thank Heathrow for believing in these young people and offering them the chance to gain work experience they might not otherwise have had.
“Employers offering meaningful work placements are crucial to the success of supported internships. These placements help interns build confidence, develop skills and drastically improve their chances of finding paid employment. We are grateful to all employers who give their time and an opportunity to an intern on a supported internship programme”. – Andrew Wilkinson, Assistant Director, Children and Young People Services, Shaw Trust.
“I am incredibly proud of our Heathrow interns, who all started their journey shy and uncertain, with no understanding of the world of work or what to expect. This transformational experience has helped them build essential employability skills, developing both hard and soft capabilities that have made them resilient, confident and independent young professionals. Watching them achieve paid employment – which is exactly the objective of our Supported Internship programme – has been truly inspiring. Well done to them all on their outstanding achievements – they’ve proven that with the right support and opportunities, young people with additional needs can excel in even the most demanding work environments.” – Nellee Keshwala, Team Manager, Shaw Trust.
