Programme sees LCY offer several paid internships to UEL students
Agreement comes after LCY & UEL signed Memorandum of Understanding last year
London City Airport (LCY) has today strengthened its partnership with the University of East London (UEL) by enrolling in its Diversity of Thought Employer Partnership Programme.
The Programme is a vehicle for driving social mobility and will see LCY and UEL work together to address the key stages of the recruitment cycle where those from marginalised backgrounds are less represented. The Programme intends to build social and cultural capital amongst UEL’s students and graduates, who will benefit from one-to-one mentoring, exposure to the professional environment and work-based learning at LCY.
The move comes after LCY and UEL announced their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in September last year to enhance jobs, research and skills in the local area. The MoU focusses on developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) resources for local schools to enable them to improve student learning and aid research projects.
As part of the Programme, LCY has offered paid internships to several UEL students, giving them the chance to work across and learn about different parts of the business, including sustainability, community engagement and I.T.
LCY hosted a hackathon event for UEL students, who undertook an aviation-themed STEM challenge – tasked with developing concepts for a project to deliver zero-emission flights at the airport. The winning participants were shortlisted and following interviews several were offered internships starting in April 2024.
Michael Spiers, Chief People Officer, London City Airport, said: “East London has for many years faced challenges with social mobility, so we’re proud to be working with UEL in taking direct steps to address this issue.
“It was impressive to see the variety of skills displayed at the hackathon event, and we’re delighted to welcome the selected students to the airport to start their internships.”
Cherise Basslian, Director of Careers and Student Enterprise, added: “We’re thrilled to have London City Airport on board as our newest partner in creating more opportunities and better access to aspirational careers for our students.
“Providing students with experience of working in a professional environment is invaluable for both their confidence and employability."
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more details on UEL’s Diversity of Thought Employee Partnership Programme, please see here
For more details on the MoU between LCY and UEL, please see here
In 2023, UEL won a ‘Best University and Employer Engagement Strategy’ award for the Diversity of Thought Employer Partnership Programme at the ISE Awards
For more information, please contact: Media@londoncityairport.com
About London City Airport
We are London’s most central airport and known internationally for our punctuality, speed of service and award-winning customer experience.
We connect to over 30 destinations across Europe and the UK, and in 2023 LCY was named London’s Best Airport by Which? magazine and cited in Time Out as the most efficient airport in the UK.
About University of East London (UEL)
The University of East London (UEL) is a long-standing anchor institution, committed to providing education for the benefit of all, giving students from diverse backgrounds the skills and opportunities to thrive in the modern world. Under our pioneering Vision 2028 strategy we are on a journey to become a careers 1st University. We are undergoing a bold transformation by changing the face of education to match the ongoing fundamental shifts in working culture. We have collaborated with industry to re-develop, re-design, and validate our course portfolio, so the knowledge our students gain reflects the changing needs of industry and prepares our learners for sustainable careers of the future.
With students from 156 nationalities from across 140 countries, inclusivity is at the heart of our institution. We have been recognised as the most accessible university in the country to low-income groups, with almost a third of students (29%) eligible for free school meals at age 16. Overall, the university was ranked number 1 in the UK for addressing inequalities (2nd in the world) by the Times Higher Education Global Impact Ranking, 2020.