Read: Aligning talent with aspiration – the Opportunity Roadshow comes to Southampton

Is this organisation an inclusive one and will I fit in? How will it support my mental health and wellbeing? What efforts is it making to reach net zero, and how soon? What is it doing to deliver social good for its staff, its customers, the communities it works in? As an employee, how can I contribute?

These are just some of the questions that Generation Z will ask their prospective employers. More than one third of the world’s population count themselves as Generation Z, the most diverse generation ever. Right now, they’re at university or just about to enter higher education. They have very strong ideas about what they want from their jobs and careers once they’ve graduated, and from the organisations they work for. So those organisations need to be clear and authentic about the impact they want to have on their colleagues, customers, supply chains and the communities they serve, as well as on a much broader set of societal challenges, if they want to attract and retain the best talent.  

Bringing employers and potential employees together to improve experiences and outcomes for both parties is the aim behind a series of Opportunity Roadshows taking place at universities across the country over the coming months. Powered by the Adecco Group, one of the world’s largest recruitment companies, the events will help build a unique online platform, Open Door, connecting students at Purpose Coalition universities in some of the least advantaged places in the country with placement and recruitment opportunities at Purpose Coalition organisations.

The most recent Roadshow was held at Southampton University during Freshers’ Week. Students had a chance to hear speakers from the University and Adecco talk about the importance of purpose in an organisation and how that translated into real action. They also had the opportunity to hear from employers about what they could offer over and above a job. Breakout sessions focused on the barriers that can exist when applying to some employers and on solutions on how those could be overcome, on the kind of outreach and access that will help to ensure that the recruitment process, and working practices, are fair and inclusive and a look at the platforms that students currently use to job hunt and how their universities can support them in finding a job and organisation that is right for them.

Chair of the Purpose Coalition and former Education Secretary, Rt Hon Justine Greening, who spoke at the event and led a breakout session, said: “ I was delighted to host our Opportunity Roadshow at Southampton University. It’s where I was a student and it’s where I learnt that despite being the first person in my family to go to university, working hard and getting a degree would open up more opportunities for me. I want other young people, especially those from under-represented communities, to have that same chance. Universities have a crucial role to play, linking their students to employers who can offer stimulating and rewarding careers.  

“At the Purpose Coalition, we’re committed to helping our partners drive the levelling up agenda across the country, not just through warm words but through real, measurable action. We worked closely with Adecco last year to launch its Social Value Action Plan and these Roadshows, together with the development of the Open Door platform, are the next steps in extending its positive social impact.

“The young people who came along to the event at Southampton University were very clear about what they wanted to see from potential employers. They want a value system that is aligned with theirs so that, as a team, they feel they are empowered to have a positive impact on the world.  They want their views and expectations – on diversity, inclusion, fairness and sustainability for example - to be represented in an organisation’s policies and its branding. Employers who attended have already commented that it was a useful way of learning more about what motivates this generation of students so that an organisation’s strategies reflect their aspirations and commitment and make the most of all the unique talent that is available.”

You can find out more by listening to an Opportunities Roadshow special edition on the University of Southampton's The Class Ceiling podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1VhFRsR1rKoJZx0dASdxqw?si=695e60db560f4edd