globalbridge is an online platform that adds a more personal touch to career opportunities through the use of multimedia.
The website is now being used by Post-16 students at Macmillan Academy, following a recent launch, allowing them to use videos and soundbites to engage with potential employers, training providers and further and higher education institutes.
The initiative has been funded by Middlesbrough Achievement Partnership (MAP) to help bridge the widening gaps between employer needs and student skills.
MAP works alongside schools and other partners to remove barriers to learning and supporting children and young people to have the best life chances.
As well as traditional information found on a CV, globalbridge allows students to showcase their abilities using a portfolio of videos, images and soundbites, as well as identifying career aspirations and preferred routes into employment, eg apprenticeships, graduate schemes etc.
Grades alone are not always a key identifier of talent, and globalbridge helps employers match grades with more character-driven attributes, as well as offering opportunities to those who might not have an academic portfolio.
Macmillan Academy Careers Practitioner Cath Cook said: “This is an exciting and unique opportunity for our students.
“globalbridge embraces the changing way recruiters are now looking for employees.
“It reflects the increasing mobility of our students and accepts the exacting demands from employers.
“It also encourages young people to advertise their talents and be advocates for their own career exploration.”
globalbridge founder Ben Mason added: “We are excited to be working with such an innovative school as Macmillan Academy.
“They have a fantastic careers programme in place and we hope to enhance this by providing Higher Education and Career opportunities for students across the whole school as they progress through and beyond Macmillan Academy.”
Councillor Jan Brunton Dobson, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Education and Skills, said: “Middlesbrough Achievement Partnership supports our young people to ensure they have the best possible start in life, both at school and beyond.
“globalbridge is an important strand of their careers and employability work, with a highly innovative approach to matching the right students to the right employers.
“This initiative has the potential to change and shape lives, and I will follow its progress with great interest.”
- Any employer interested in taking part in the globabridge initiative should contact MAP Manager Clare Elliott by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01642 729285.
