Breaking Barriers programme returns with largest ever student intake
This week sees the return of our flagship ‘Breaking Barriers’ programme, with Chief Executive Keith Anderson welcoming the largest student intake in the programme’s history to our Glasgow headquarters.
A total of 15 students will take part in our employability and skills programme, which was co-founded nine years ago – double our usual intake.
Delivered in partnership with Enable and the University of Strathclyde, Breaking Barriers is designed to remove obstacles that often prevent students from accessing high-quality work experience.
The award winning programme aims to help students who have a disability build their confidence and skills through real workplace experience – while supporting a more inclusive pipeline of future talent for both the energy sector and Scotland’s green economy.
All participants will be based at our headquarters in central Glasgow as part of their University of Strathclyde course, and all partners will be supported throughout the learning and workplace journey by Enable.
Throughout the programme, students will complete weekly rotational placements across a wide range of business areas, from cyber to data analytics to environmental and business services.
This year’s programme will also be supported by a number of recent ScottishPower graduates taking part as ‘Friends of Breaking Barriers’, providing peer mentorship and guidance shaped by their own recent transition from university into the business.
Rachel Hollinger, Early Careers Manager at ScottishPower, said:
“We’re proud to be welcoming our biggest Breaking Barriers cohort yet. This programme is all about creating opportunities, building confidence and opening the door to careers in the energy sector. By increasing our intake this year, we’re ensuring that every student who needs a placement has access to meaningful, hands-on experience across our all areas of our business.”
Theresa Shearer, Chief Executive Officer of Enable said:
“Breaking Barriers demonstrates what can be achieved when the private, public and NGO sectors work together to address societal challenges. Opening up access to leading universities and employers is not just the right thing to do in terms of equity and inclusion, but it benefits our national economic prosperity and helps to embed diversity at the heart of our organisations.
