Ward is proud to sponsor the EY Foundation 2022 ‘Secure Futures Programme’

We are proud to sponsor The EY Foundation ‘Secure Futures Programme’ for the second year running. The programme was launched to support young people from low income backgrounds who want to begin a career within the security industry. The aim is to help them develop a variety of transferable skills that will give them a head start in their career in the industry.

Starting in April 2022, the individuals will take part in one week of paid training, followed by up to a week of work experience, supported by 10 months of mentoring from a mentor that has been matched with them.

By undertaking employability skills based sessions and spending time working on real life projects the programme aims to widen their understanding of the working world, helping them gain real, valuable experience.

We have 5 mentors supporting the programme this year and we will be sponsoring 4 young people.

Craig Cousins, Senior Regional Manager Central, comments: “I feel immensely proud to have been accepted to be a mentor for this fantastic programme as a representative of Ward. Having left the Royal Marines at a relatively young age to carve out a career in the private security industry, I understand and appreciate the value and importance of having a good mentor. I’m looking forward to being able to support, guide and mentor a young individual through the beginning of their journey in the industry, with the overall goal of helping someone take advantage of this great opportunity to better themselves and their career prospects.”

Hayley Graves, Head of Development, said: “Being accepted as a mentor on the Secure Futures Programme is truly outstanding and I feel very proud. Supporting and nurturing a young person in the early stages of what can be the most challenging time of their lives, both physically and mentally, is something I wished I had or honestly, had the interest in when I was younger. I think that providing an approachable, open source of security knowledge from someone who maybe saw Security in a completely different way, will allow the individual to see and feel real life accounts, challenges and rewards from the industry and help them to discover their true potential. I am very excited to see their growth and ambitions come to life and very humble that I get to be a part of their journey!”

Kevin Ward, Managing Director, added: “We’re delighted to be supporting the Secure Futures Programme for the second year running. It’s a fantastic initiative that helps young people transition into employment or further education following completion of the programme.

The programme not only benefits the young people taking part, but also the security industry. By upskilling the next generation of individuals who are striving to start their career in security ensures the industry has the very best talent and we’re so pleased to be supporting this.”