Helping the youth enter the IT sector – Networkers speaks at The Prince’s Trust Event

Networkers is honored to have been invited to speak at an event hosted by The Prince’s Trust as a chance for young people to hear from industry professionals and employers about what to expect when moving into the job market. The event took place on the 5th of August, and hosted technology-specialist Recruitment Manager Rupert Ronca, whose main message to the youth seeking to enter the job market is to take control of their future - and from a young age. 

About The Prince’s Trust

The Prince’s Trust is a UK charity with a mission to help vulnerable young people get their lives on track. It supports 11 to 30-year-olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion. The Princes Trust’s latest campaign is to support a cohort of young people through the Google IT Certification, before helping them access employment opportunities in the technology sector. 

The event

The event encompassed a full day of speaking engagements, with attendees free to interact and raise questions. 

In his talk, Rupert harnessed his 12 years of experience in technology recruitment, aiming to furnish young people with advice on how to build a career in today’s changing market; advice he didn’t receive as a young work seeker. 

“Now, more than ever, there is a massive need for skills in the tech space, and all eyes are on the youth of today to step into the gaps available. When I was at school, there simply wasn’t enough awareness of the opportunities that existed in information technology. Now it is an industry that anyone can access – regardless of their start in life – as long as they do the work to give themselves the skills they need. That’s why the work The Prince’s Trust are doing is so crucial.”

As well as covering topics such as buzzwords in recruitment, interview tips & hacks, breaking into the IT industry and the ‘soft skills’ required in IT jobs, Rupert advised attendees to think differently about tech and what it involves, making the point that every company is a tech company. 

Rupert’s advice to young people seeking to enter the job market is to be aware of what they want, and to seek external advice in many places, including outside of normal institutions like schools, universities and family circles. 

“Today’s youth face a considerable challenge when fleshing out a career with the backdrop of our rapidly changing world and tech landscape, with uncertainty around what AI and Automation will do to employment opportunities. The most important thing is to trust yourself. Make your own decisions. Decide what you want from life and then decide how you’re going to get it.”

Sarah Bowman, the Operations Manager for The Prince’s Trust welcomed Rupert’s contribution to the event and said the following:

“We’d like to thank Rupert for his involvement in our careers event for the candidates enrolled on our Google IT Certificate programme. We’ve had excellent feedback from young people on the session who all gained a lot from his inspiring talk and insight into careers within IT.”

What’s next?

Networkers will be teaming up with The Prince’s Trust to support them with their ‘Get Hired’ programme – where they are trying to revolutionise recruitment by connecting forward-thinking businesses with talented young people. To find out more or get involved as a collaborator business, click here. To find out more about The Prince’s Trust, click here to explore the programmes they offer for young people.