Schools are “setting youngsters up for a big fall” by not teaching basic workplace skills and etiquette for City jobs, a leading youth mentor said today.
Nilesh Dosa, of accountancy firm Ernst & Young, said: “We’re churning out academically able students who just aren’t equipped for work.”
He has seen them limply shake hands while seated, fail to dress appropriately and not know how to write a CV.
Mr Dosa founded icanyoucantoo which creates better work prospects for disadvantaged young people. Since 2016, he has spoken to more than 3,000 pupils and parents at schools, colleges and universities in the UK.
He said that hiring in the City has changed and experience and the ability to talk matter more, but schools are failing to teach the basics of interviews.
“We are setting them up for a big fall — because they won’t make it past the traditional initial assessments,” he added. One in three of icanyoucantoo students gained employment or an apprenticeship at organisations including EY, UBS and the Bank of England.
