‘5 STAR Futures’ is a community education initiative founded by the legal business with the aim of empowering ambitious young people to unlock their potential by developing the skills and confidence required to succeed in the workplace.

In Scotland, DWF has three 5 STAR Futures educational programmes with local partner schools Leith Academy, Govan High School and St Benedict’s High School.

During the programme, the pupils were invited to take part in three employability workshops at DWF’s Glasgow and Edinburgh offices.

The workshops included practical activities and talks with staff from across the business to introduce pupils to the concept of networking, developing job applications, CVs and interview skills, culminating with the opportunity for students to submit a CV and cover letter for a work experience placement, attend a panel interview with a DWF partner and take part in a group assessment.

All participating students were provided with feedback on their interview, leaving with a working CV and cover letter. The six successful pupils from each school were invited back for a three-day work experience placement at DWF’s Scottish offices in late May which were tailored to the pupils’ interests.

One student said: “Hearing about the various roles and the journey which many staff took to get to the positions that they are now in was inspiring.”

Another said: “These stories showed me I don’t need to have a clear view on what I want to do when I’m older, whilst it’s good to have an idea, I don’t need a rigid path.”

Curriculum leader of social subjects at Leith Academy, Nadia Steele, said: “Working with DWF has given our pupils an invaluable insight into the world of work. The mentoring programme offered by DWF has developed many skills in our young people. The pupils are certainly more confident in their abilities and are better equipped to communicate with others.”

Caroline Colliston, executive partner for DWF in Scotland, added: “Our teams look forward to the pupils visiting our offices and relish the opportunity to help build the confidence of the pupils, widen their understanding of the world of work in a legal setting and ultimately provide them with work experience.

“This provides an opportunity for personal growth of our team as well as the pupils we engage with. It is wonderful to be part of this and for DWF in Scotland to play our part in creating aspiration and building an inclusive workforce of the future.”