At Leonardo, we have a long and proud tradition of providing early careers opportunities – from 16-year-olds starting apprenticeships upon leaving school, to those undertaking graduate programmes after completing their university studies. However, we recognised that we could widen the net of such opportunities even further.
As a result, in late 2023, we started partnering with DFN Project Search with the aim of implementing a supported employment internship scheme at our site in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters.
Opening doors for young people with Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND)
Project Search’s mission is to “challenge and change cultures, demonstrating how young people with a learning disability can enrich the workforce, bring incredible skills and talent, encourage greater diversity and meet a real business need.” This is achieved by finding and developing host organisations to deliver one-year transition to work internships for young adults with a learning disability or autism spectrum conditions, or both.
Often, these 16-24-year-olds do not get the opportunity to experience a formal working environment. The internships therefore provide the best opportunity of interns securing a role within one of the host businesses, or giving them enough experience to help find a role with another organisation. Over the next decade, Project Search aims to get 20,000 interns into paid employment, which would be transformative for them, their families and the community.
Collaborating with specialist partners
At Leonardo, our programme is delivered in collaboration with Discovery – a charity supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities, throughout Somerset and Cornwall – and Yeovil College. Interns have a classroom-based session at the start and end of each working day, delivered on-site by Yeovil College, while they are also supported on site by a dedicated work coach. Somerset Council has also been a critical part in supporting the arrangements.
Julie Young from Somerset Council, said: “We are thrilled to be working with Leonardo, Sodexo and Kuehne+Nagel to deliver their inspirational and innovative Supported Internship. The programme, which demonstrates partnership at its very best, enables young people with SEND to learn essential work and technical skills, on the job, with the support of specialist job coaches.
Providing a tailored experience for interns
Our early careers schemes usually feature rotational placements, with individuals rotating around an area based on the specialist skills required for a role. However, within the Supported Internship programme, we have had to rethink this process and align the placements for the individuals and their skills set. We hope that this unique experience for each supported intern will be a valuable and enjoyable one that ultimately leads to them securing paid employment.
Since January 2024, the scheme has been progressing well, with five supported interns participating. They spent time with Leonardo’s UK Helicopter Customer Support & Training (CS&T) department, before completing their placements with Kuehne+Nagel and Sodexo.
By the middle of July, the interns will have finished their programmes. Two of them are moving into employment with host organisations, including one joining our CS&T team in Yeovil. Those who have not secured a position with the host companies have found the experience very beneficial and are actively looking for roles outside of the programme.
Chris Worledge from the CS&T team praised Matthew for the way he has picked up various company tools and systems, and applied his “fantastic attention to detail and natural talent for ensuring reports are readable. It’s been a joy watching Matthew grow in confidence over the last few months – both socially within the team and in the delivery of his day-to-day role. We are really grateful for all of Matthew's hard work and commitment, which has been greatly appreciated.”
Looking ahead, the 2024/25 recruitment activity has largely been completed for the next phase, with onboarding activities currently taking place in advance of a September start for at least five more interns. We have also engaged new partners and further engagement with the supply chain is planned.