Jasmine Rose & Tee Moyo on inspiring young people

[00:00:00] Sarah: [Intro music] Speak to the Human is a podcast that explores how we build connections with people in their professional work. It's about the human experience at work and about how to foster that connection and belonging to support people and their organisations to flourish. I'm your host, Sarah Abramson, and I'm looking forward to you joining me in hearing from our brilliant guests.

[00:00:24] [Episode overview] In this episode, I'm joined by Jasmine Rose and Tee Moyo from Apprentice Nation, a program created by the organisation RockCorps to inspire and support young people into careers. Together, we explore topics including social engagement through live events and why music is such a powerful medium for communication.

[00:00:47] We also discuss the opportunities and the barriers for young people entering employment and how they can be supported to overcome challenges. There's also plenty of food for thought about how employers can strengthen their engagement with young [00:01:00] people entering the workforce. And the benefits of doing this well for being open to new ideas, fresh energy, and diversity of thinking.

[00:01:07] Buckle up because Jasmine and Tee are an absolute bolt of energy, passion, and enthusiasm. You can tell how much I enjoyed this chat and I hope you do too. As always, please do drop me a line with your thoughts, feedback, and suggestions for future guests.

[00:01:21] [Episode start] I'm joined in this episode by Jasmine Rose and Tee Moyo. Hi both. It's great to have you with us and I've been really looking forward to this conversation. So to get us started, please do just introduce yourselves to our listeners.

[00:01:40] Jasmine: Hi, Sarah. Thank you for inviting us. I'm Jasmine Rose. I am the project lead at an organisation called Apprentice Nation, of which we're going to go into a lot more detail about shortly. But my expertise and, my experience has come from a very, [00:02:00] varied career, in the learning and development space. everything from curriculum design, to supporting learning events. and I've had over 20 years experience working with Marks & Spencers, where I worked with the service team and international team, for learning and development. And then I left the organisation in 2020 as their learning and development lead for their food business and joint Apprentice Nation, which I will share more.

[00:02:26] Sarah: Brilliant.

[00:02:27] Tee: Hi guys, my name is Tee and I am a part time program support officer for the NHS, but mostly well known for being a content producer and a presenter working for Bower Media.

[00:02:40] I'm also an ex apprentice. So I don't have a very traditional career trajectory. So I didn't go to university. I went straight into the working world. and I'm like your work experience queen. I've done a little bit of everything. I mean, growing up, I did a bit of finance. I did a bit of aviation. I was a cadet. [00:03:00] But I feel like I found my place in the whole entertainment, social media industry, which is what I'm pursuing now.

[00:03:06] Sarah: That's awesome. I'm so excited to have you both with us and you, that's just a brilliant avenue for exploring Tee. Just so much to, to hear and to find out more about. So Jasmine, let's start with you to tell me a little bit about RockCorps, which is the organisation, that kind of is the umbrella for Apprentice Nation and the work that you do?

[00:03:27] Jasmine: Yeah, I would love to. The key purpose behind RockCorps is to empower young people. And that's whether that's helping them to grow, develop, or to support them to become the best versions of themselves. and we do that specifically through social change, which is really about driving that social change within their local communities.

[00:03:50] RockCorps itself is 19 years old was formed, in the aftermath of 9 11 in New York, and this is where [00:04:00] communities were needing to be real, rebuilt, and there was a real cry out for social change and social action. And the premise, or the strapline should I say, for RockCorps is really simple, it's give and get given.

[00:04:14] And thinking about the whole social change message for young people, what we were asking them is if they give four hours of their time to help rebuild that community as a volunteer, they are then given a ticket to a gig. That's the give and get given, right? So yes, they're motivated. Yes, they're inspired.

[00:04:35] Yes, they're making a difference, but they're also rewarded. And that gig could be, with Lady Gaga. We've had Snoop Dogg. We could have Rihanna, you know, real big artists. The only way to get that ticket for that gig is to then volunteer their time.

[00:04:50] So for us, we've operated in 10 different countries six continents and had over a 190, 000 [00:05:00] volunteers throughout the 19 years of RockCorps. And we work with big brands to deliver these projects. So brands you've heard of such as Coca-Cola Or Orange, you know, real big organisations that are looking to make a change and a difference in society.

[00:05:16] Sarah: That's amazing. And what a fascinating origin of an organisation like that, just such a brilliant project to have set up and for it to still be going and to have picked up all of that momentum is amazing.

[00:05:27] What do you see with music and live events at the heart of it as being such a fantastically strong and powerful way for prompting action and change? How does that happen in reality?

[00:05:39] Jasmine: Sarah music is a powerful tool full stop, right? It's a universal language that we all speak and we all can get emotive with music, we can get challenged by music, you know, whatever the genre of music is that you listen to. You know, people spend hours or days or months trying to find that first song that [00:06:00] they dance to at their wedding, you know? We're working with young people not to get morbid with you but I'm working with young people who know what song they want to go out to in their funeral. You know that the power of music is is endless. And for us it's really about driving social change, yes, but the instrumental theme of music is about empowering young people, inspiring them, motivating them, uniting them, for a positive, for a positive course. And not to kind of be a bit of a cliché here, but music is an instrument, you know, within itself. So we believe that through working with big artists, we believe that the The artist being the messenger behind the music, where young people can relate, young people can, you know, as I said, be inspired. It's, it's phenomenal. There's a lot of artists out there that have strong stories to tell. And they do that through the voice of, of [00:07:00] music, and therefore young people can relate, which is really what we are we're all for.

[00:07:06] Sarah: Absolutely. And, I think almost all of us engage with music in some way, you know, whatever our preference is, it's just such a incredibly powerful way to connect with people.

[00:07:17] Jasmine: Well, not, not to, I'm not going to challenge you Sarah, but, you know, the listeners who are listening to this today, if I gave you five minutes, and, my challenge is what are your top five songs of all time? I will kind of make, I make a bit of an assumption. You probably couldn't do that challenge because there are so many songs that have touched so many different parts of your life, right? If I gave you a little longer time, yeah, of course you could do it, but it would be, you know, a hard task.

[00:07:47] Sarah: I'm laughing because, I'm a joke in my family for having about 20 favorite songs, constantly running, is this your favorite song as well, mum? Yeah. [00:08:00] I do have favorites, but you're completely right. There are songs that speak to specific times or specific memories or just are so evocative. And some songs that are really hard to listen back to because you're like, you know, that was when you were heartbroken or, you know,

[00:08:14] Jasmine: Well, the same one comes out every time you're heartbroken.

[00:08:17] Sarah: Yeah. Painful. So tell me a little bit about the volunteer projects that RockCorps does and how you host those sort of participants.

[00:08:24] Jasmine: Yeah. And I think just kind of picking up on, on the theme of music, empowerment and unification. We have recently just come out of Paris, where we had a phenomenal experience. With the brand Ibis. So if you know Ibis, they are a hotel chain. They came to us because they had a business need, specifically around the fact that they're 50 years old as a hotel brand, that they wanted to connect with a younger audience.

[00:08:57] But additionally to that, they wanted to boost their [00:09:00] team spirit, and also demonstrate their commitment to inclusion and diversity. So the, the perfect timing and the opportunity to do this was on the build up to the Olympics. So we worked with them, really to identify the, you know, the best way and the best time to execute, the project. And what I'm able to say really, really proudly is that we were able to host 215 community volunteer events on the build up to, the Olympics. And that those community events were anything from our young people volunteering to paint schools or to pick up litter or even working with old people and teaching them how to dance. There was so many different interventions that we were able to make.

[00:09:51] That all added up to over 52, 000 hours of volunteering.

[00:09:56] Sarah: Wow.

[00:09:57] Jasmine: If you think back to the objectives that it had [00:10:00] over 87% of the volunteers that we had over the duration were under 35. Their teams got involved. They were from mixed diverse communities in terms of the volunteers that we had. They even had some, you know, we had some great stats around over a million hits to their website. You know, there was so much energy that was built up with this event.

[00:10:23] And if you go back to what I said to you at the beginning, it the community of volunteering is important. That is the whole premise around giving, but the celebration of the volunteers at the end was a massive concert with Macklemore headlining, and we had over 13, 000 volunteers in one place, all with a unified achievement of what they were able to deliver through their volunteering events.

[00:10:55] It was off the scale, the energy, the passion, [00:11:00] the, the vibe, I, you know, hopefully you can feel it because I was, clearly I was there. But what you had, I mean, I've been to many concerts over the years, but the unification of these young people all in the same venue celebrating their achievement was what made the difference. As well as all the, you know, the community support projects. Being able to join us to say, you know, thank you for what you've done and thank you for what you've delivered. I could talk about this for hours. So I'm clear. I'm conscious. You've got either questions that you wanted to ask.

[00:11:33] Sarah: I'm not surprised. It's incredibly exciting. I mean, what a fantastic story of engagement and positivity and energy. And I don't know about you, but I think that our media can get very dominated. The news can get very dominated with stories that you can't. You just can't even listen to anymore because they're so painful and they're so negative and we need to know about them, but it's just, it feels like if you listen to certain [00:12:00] channels and it can feel like the whole world out there is really negative place and actually what people are really capable of doing. And when they're brought together with that kind of momentum and an energy and a focus, it's amazing. So yeah, I'm not, I'm not surprised at all that you could talk about it all day.

[00:12:17] Jasmine: I'm still getting goosebumps just talking to you about it in terms of what we, you know, we were able to achieve in RockCorps 19 years in our history, it was the biggest event that we've done.

[00:12:27] So yeah, we want, we want more.

[00:12:30] Sarah: Yeah. And those things. You know, they spread, it's that kind of good, good will, good feeling. It spreads, it's contagious in the most positive way. I mean, I remember going to the London 2012 games and the games makers were really what created the whole atmosphere and the positivity around it.

[00:12:49] They were just brilliant. You know, they had massive foam high five hands and it was just, and they were great. My kids were quite little when we went and they were brilliant with them, but they just created the whole [00:13:00] atmosphere and. Bringing out the best of people like that is wonderful, isn't it?

[00:13:05] Jasmine: Definitely.

[00:13:05] Sarah: So tell me about the, Apprentice Nation, which is an aspect of the work that you do that kind of taps into, to this, but in a particular way for young people, how did that come about? What do you do and what difference is it making so far?

[00:13:19] Jasmine: So it's a celebration year for Apprentice Nation, we're five years old.

[00:13:24] We started literally just before COVID in, 2019. And similar to our umbrella company, RockCorps, Apprentice Nation is really about driving the empowerment of young people so that they can reach their full potential. The models slightly different where RockCorps is all about doing that through their own volunteering. Apprentice Nation, we do that through giving young people skills development. And that's whether that's skills development for life or for, getting them work ready. So that they are confident when they are approaching, getting [00:14:00] into, onto the career, the career paths. So for us, the reason that we get out of bed in the morning is because if you're aware, Sarah, or your listeners are aware, the national unemployment rates for the UK are at currently 4. 2%. And you may say, Oh, that's not too bad. However, for 16 to 24 year olds, the unemployment rate is 13. 4%. And each year, unfortunately, since I've been in this business, it's getting worse. It's definitely not going down. The additional layer I'm going to give to you is if you are black or you are Asian It's times two, it doubles.

[00:14:48] Sarah: Wow, yeah.

[00:14:50] Jasmine: So we're, we're talking about a generation here with a post COVID generation. They're growing up in an environment where you're looking at, you [00:15:00] know, huge, impacts to the cost of living, anxiety around their potential, you know, the, the job market. There's lots that is not working in favor for this generation. And therefore Apprentice Nation was born to be able to counteract that and say, you know, these young people are amazing. Every single one of them, regardless of their background, regardless of their ability, they've got a light, but they need support. They need direction. They need confidence. They need opportunities to let that light shine.

[00:15:37] So for us, really, it's about providing these skills development, to be able to get them to be confident and what they are really destined to be able to do.

[00:15:47] Our business model is really simple. when we're working with our young people, we entertain them. That's how we attract them and engage them. So we work with artists. That's a little sprinkle. That's a [00:16:00] little bit of magic. We work with our artists who have got similar stories. And who've got passion about working with young people and seeing them grow. And they are engaged and motivated to come to a gig.

[00:16:13] So we put on concerts where these artists are performing. And then we're able to also work with the artists to design, learning materials. So this is the second stage that the young people work with us, which is we train them. And that could be on anything where it's around being career ready, unlocking their potential, helping them with their mental well being, or helping them really to understand what is needed from them in the workplace. And we get the artists to actually, help us with our content because yeah, it could be cool listening to Jasmine Rose talking about CV skills, but wouldn't it be even better if it's Getz or Ray or Krept & Konan or AJ Tracy, right? So working with these artists, not just for the [00:17:00] concert and the gig, but to also utilize their life experiences through our content.

[00:17:04] And then when the young person is motivated, they complete each of our learning modules, we are incentivizing them to keep going through rewards, and those rewards could be tickets, it could be, merchandise, or vouchers, or even time with the artist. When they are really confident, we then help them go far, which is the third stage of our process.

[00:17:30] So we've entertained them, we've trained them, and the go far is now you're ready, let's help you get that interview. Or let's help you get on that apprenticeship program, or apply for that job. Or sometimes, go back to education, because that's what they needed in order for them to, to progress. So we work with partners who are able to support those opportunities to young people. And we're always working, looking at partners being mentors or getting involved in our programs, but ultimately being able to offer young people opportunities.

[00:17:59] Sarah: [00:18:00] Fantastic. And I'm excited to hear firsthand from Tee about what that feels like. Tell us about that.

[00:18:06] Tee: It's a bit of a funny story it started off on Instagram and I saw an ad, for a free gig for Six Black or Black as people call him as an artist and it was a free concert and a friend had sent it to me and we basically, I thought it to be true, I thought what do you have to do to get a free ticket it doesn't seem real. And I kind of like left it to the back of my head and she actually attended the concert. And when we came back to school the following week, she was like "I went, I did it." and I didn't realise you just had to complete like a learning module in order to get the tickets. It just, it just seems too good to be true and I kind of left it at that.

[00:18:46] Sarah: It kinda sounds it

[00:18:47] Tee: It does, doesn't it? Especially on Instagram. I was like, what kind of, kind of ad is this? And I kind of left it at that, and at the time I would say I was a content creator, but just creating content for fun. It's not like I was pursuing anything, [00:19:00] but I was doing my apprenticeship and I was big, I was a big advocate for apprenticeships, talking about it on my YouTube, on my TikTok, well I didn't have TikTok at the time, but Instagram, and I know I'd recently just gone viral.

[00:19:12] So my apprenticeship company, Multiverse, was definitely plugging me and using me to talk about my apprenticeship experience.

[00:19:20] One of the events that I did was a workshop all about leadership and it was in partnership with Apprentice Nation. And now again, I didn't put two and two together, but I did it and I was speaking about leadership and my journey and I think we had maybe 20 young people. So it was a very intimate event and I was on the panel. If I do say so myself, I think I spoke very passionately about apprenticeships and my experience. And that's where I met Jasmine. And I told her about the content I've been creating, the videos that I do. And it was very heavily based on vlogging about my education and my apprenticeship background. And she was like, Oh, a lot of the skills and the things that you do and that you're passionate about align with Apprentice [00:20:00] Nation. Why don't you send over some of your work, and we can see how we can collaborate together.

[00:20:04] I admit, it took me a while to send my work at the time, you know, being eager and, you know, understanding that time is of the essence wasn't a thing back then, but now I do know. And we spoke about it and, she invited me to come along, as in like a, kind of like a trial to potentially become one of the skills leaders at Apprentice Nation, which has led to where we are today. Almost two years, I think it is actually two years, two years down the line, I have been a skills leader and I've done webinars, I've done skills fests, I've done artist interviews, I've done workshops and I've, I think I've become one of the staples here at Apprentice Nation and I definitely think I'm embedded in the culture and the family that is Apprentice Nation today. Who knew one workshop would lead here? Yeah.

[00:20:53] Sarah: Absolutely fantastic.

[00:20:54] So, Jasmine, maybe you can tell me a little bit about kind of the, the backgrounds and experiences that a lot of the [00:21:00] young people have when they first come to Apprentice Nation and how Apprentice Nation really helps them to take those next steps.

[00:21:07] Jasmine: The young people come to us in many different ways. It can literally be through working with, careers advisors and schools and colleges and institutions. It can be word of mouth, friends to friends, but a lot of the work that we do with our artists, and through, you know, social media is what draws the young people to us. And that young person could be someone who has been successful in school. And is now at college or is now doing an apprenticeship, but realises that's not the right route for them. So then they may come to us and be like, I love marketing. I really, really love marketing, which is usually what they say, but I know nothing about it. So we would then help them get the right support, get linked and mentored with, you know, people within that industry, to help the directions. Or it could be people, young people that come into us who have no idea about [00:22:00] what they want to do. They may have left school with no qualifications, or, you know, it could be a young girl that's that's found that, you know, she's pregnant, but is really ambitious and thinks her life is going to come to an end because she's pregnant. And no, it's not. You know what, having the right support, having the right encouragement. There's a young lady that was absolutely phenomenal just to give you an example, she left school at 13 and people are like, how do you leave school at 13? Well her mum had Multiple sclerosis and unfortunately was only given, you know, a couple of years to live.

[00:22:31] So they made the conscious decision as a family that she was going to leave school to be her mums carer. Unfortunately, you know, her mum passed away and then she came to us at 17 and was like, I'm now ready. I'm ready to be me and do me. And I don't want to go back and just do my GCSEs, but I'd love to work in the music industry.

[00:22:50] So there's so many people that come to us, young people come to us with, you know, different stories. But all because, you know, they see that there's something that they're worth, which is a lot better [00:23:00] than, you know, where they are at that precise moment in time, and are looking for health support, encouragement, direction, and the list goes on. The list goes on.

[00:23:08] Sarah: Absolutely. And there's actually incredible value in having people who've come through different routes rather than a very conventional path, isn't there? You know, when you bring different experiences and you've got a background that has a kind of a wealth of, you know, a patchwork, a different kind of experience and different routes, there's huge value in that I think. If you can find a way to make the most of it and to realise your potential and to be given the chances, then, then that's amazing.

[00:23:38] So Tee, you've been involved in the coaching side of things, I think. So, what's that involved and, what kind of stories have you come across? How have you been able to communicate with your peers and other young people?

[00:23:51] Tee: Yeah, I think kind of echoing what Jasmine said, I think the beauty of Apprentice Nation is that I've interacted and met so many different young [00:24:00] people. I've met like people, my mini me's as I like to call it, and that kind of personality star eyes they're eager, they're like, I want to do this. And I want to do that. And they kind of need just that streamlining in that direction or, okay, but have you seen this? Have you tried this? It's kind of like shaping already this big personality and thats the type of person that I am. But then I also really, really enjoy working with young people who are a little bit more skeptical and I like them because there's obviously a reason why they've come to the skills or they've come to the webinar or they've just they've showed up. And that I can work with that and sometimes they've just shown up because their friends are going but that is more than enough for me because I can kind of get to know you and dig a little deeper to kind of find that reason why you came, even if it's a tiny reason. And then I can just dig a bit more and kind of pour into you and help just put a little bit of a spark so that at least when you leave you think I remember what she said and she kind of helped me understand that [00:25:00] there's more to life than maybe what I think, or I can, I can become excited about my future. So, and then there's other people who just need a community that are motivated, inspired they have, they just need to be around other young people to kind of go back to school or go back to college and with that sense of inspiration. So I always love interacting with the different young people because there's always a different personality in the room that I can inspire or just, you know, share my experience with.

[00:25:28] Sarah: That's fantastic. Brilliant.

[00:25:30] Jasmine: One of the fascinating things that we always experience when we do an in person event, which we call Skills Fest, a festival of skills is when that young person comes in at the beginning of the Skills Fest, there's no eye contact. They're really insular. They don't want to talk. They're just here. And that's the same person, which is the majority of them. When we're trying to get them out. at six o'clock, they don't want to leave. They've made new friends, they're networking, they're exchanging socials and they are buzzing. [00:26:00] And we could, if we could bottle that and, and distribute that energy and that change. Yeah, it's amazing.

[00:26:07] Sarah: Wow. I mean, the power of tapping into that is amazing. And just, Tee, I can, I can hear in your voice and I can see the passion in how you're doing that. Making that connection is so incredible. And you know, sometimes it's just. For people to feel listened to, isn't it? Like their voice matters and that they count and that, and that kind of thing.

[00:26:26] Tee: Absolutely

[00:26:26] Sarah: Can I ask you a slightly different question about, what it feels like to be entering the workforce as a young person now, what do you think the challenges are, I guess, but also on the, on the positive side, do you feel like companies are making it easy? What else could they be doing to create a positive experience for, for young people, as well as for companies really to think about the benefits of those young people entering their, you know, employee, base, their workforce, and benefit from their perspectives, their [00:27:00] thinking, their, you know, their innovation, their imagination, all of the brilliant stuff that young people can bring. Yeah. Talk a little bit about that.

[00:27:08] Tee: It's such a good question because I'm noticing more companies and more people are asking this question and they're hearing and they're listening and they're implementing. I think, the main challenge and the fundamental challenge is the getting in, you hear all the time, you know, once you get your foot into this company, it's smooth sailing, once you get your foot into this company.

[00:27:30] But I think sometimes we overlook the difficulty to actually get said foot into the door because once you're in, it's not necessarily smooth sailing, but it's a lot easier. And I think more companies have been more open to things like apprenticeship schemes, internship schemes, but I think that a lot more work can be done to make the streamlined process of formal education, whether it be sixth form college or university and getting young people into the workforce. I think companies could do a lot more to be a bit more transparent [00:28:00] about it in terms of not only what they're looking for in terms of the job description, but even giving back feedback. I know I've had the. I've had a time with trying to get that feedback from companies, because it's always the same old or you were really good, we're looking for someone more experience. Well someone's got to give me the experience to become good enough to get into the company. So it's just, I think something like feedback and tangible actions that I can take away and implement. And it's not just for me, it's for all young people, because if it is the lacking of experience, then who is going, who are we to go to, to get said experience? And I think the thing about young people that's overlooked is that although we're young, a lot of us are hungry for this. We're determined for this. We're not just, we're not just applying for the LOLs and for the bants, is what I like to tell people. We're actually applying because we want to get in and get on with the careers that we're going to have for the rest of our lives. So yeah, that's something that I think, challenges us as young people.

[00:28:54] And I think the second thing that I think could benefit, from companies would be [00:29:00] mentorship and a way that young people can get in at the beginning where we're a little bit, we're a little bit lost. We're kind of finding our way. We kind of don't have mom and dad to go to and say, what do I do next?

[00:29:11] This is like, probably for a lot of us, it's the first time in our lives where we're taking ownership of. the decisions that we're going to make that's going to affect us for the rest of our lives. And so just having someone there that kind of understands, has that empathy, but also isn't necessarily looking after a whole directory.

[00:29:27] It can be someone that has that intimate one to one, relationship with us as young people to kind of guide us and help us navigate and shape those next steps, which are so important. So I think mentorship in my career is so important. And the funny thing is that Apprentice Nation, I am a mentor, but I'm also a mentee. And one of my mentors that I had a sit down with was Remel London. And she is one of the biggest presenters in the UK. She's worked for Sky Arts, Capital Xtra, The Brits, and these are places that I, as an aspiring presenter, want to [00:30:00] one day say that I presented for The Brits, I hosted the MOBOs, I did X, Y, and Z. And we had a sit down and I think what was really amazing about that conversation is that we had someone from Apprentice Nation kind of helping facilitate the conversation, and sent my questions beforehand so that she could take into consideration now I'm not really a beginner in my career. I've been doing this for a while, but I'm also not expert enough to do it on my own. I need guidance. And she was able to tailor her answers to fit my character, my personality, my ambition, my aspirations, my weaknesses.

[00:30:30] So something that is so specific and so personalised to me as an individual, I think if workplaces took that invested interest in new talent. I think so many of us would go skyrocketing and it's something we'll always remember, although she might not remember that conversation. I will always remember that last year when I had that session, she gave me that advice. And as a mentor for Apprentice Nation, I've done the same with a young person who reminds me so much of me when I [00:31:00] began my content creating, she was like, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to make. I was like, okay, look from my experience with doing this since I was 16, I'm 22 now. This is what I wish I knew when I was your age. And it's like, it's really nice that someone is pouring into me. And with that same information, I'm pouring into them. So I definitely think following kind of a scheme that we do similarly at Apprentice Nation, if companies did that young people would be so inspired and they feel like they have the tools to go out and run with it and go do what they're passionate about.

[00:31:30] Sarah: I've literally got shivers down my spine. I'm so, it's just so brilliant to hear the excitement in your voice. And just that kind of perspective of the world is your oyster. I'm like, I can't wait to see where Tee is going. Cause like it's exciting, but just, you know, thinking I want to do that. I'm so excited. I'm like, I can see that and having the opportunity to be connected with someone who has. Done it. That's just so exciting. And you're absolutely right. Like harnessing that kind of passion, you know, thinking about what opportunities are out there and [00:32:00] how you're going to get into them, that energy from young people, if companies are missing out on it, they're missing a trick because that is such an incredible, valuable asset. And thank you because you've mentioned two very specific, tangible things that companies could do that you've said from the experience of the young people would really, really make a difference. I really hope that there are people listening who can get hold of that and really think about how they could implement that in their own organisations.

[00:32:27] So that's awesome. Thank you, Tee. So question to both of you, what do you think is next for Apprentice Nation?

[00:32:34] Jasmine: There are some big things that we are working on, one of them specifically will go live this month, which is basically, we have been working with the organisation City & Guilds. so for those of you who don't know, they are a leading organisation for work based qualifications. And they are, basically, they have assured two of our programs within Apprentice Nation which [00:33:00] is our Work Ready program and also our Youth Advisors Network. And what that means is that when a young person has completed one of those programs, historically, they can put on their CV or their LinkedIn profile or, an interview say, Oh, I've been accredited by Apprentice Nation.

[00:33:18] But now they can say, I've been accredited by Apprentice Nation, who've been assured by City & Guilds, which is a nationwide, certification. So we're really, really proud about this achievement. And yeah, over the next few weeks and months, you will be able to find out more.

[00:33:38] Sarah: Excellent.

[00:33:39] Jasmine: That's the first thing. And then the second one, which is, is bigger, is really around the name. We are Apprentice Nation. We're not Apprentice London or Apprentice Birmingham. We are Apprentice Nation, which means that we're a nationwide resource. And one of the things that we were able to actually celebrate, that came out [00:34:00] of the pandemic was that our materials are online.

[00:34:04] So whether you're in Aberdeen, or in Land's End, or anywhere in between, young people can go on and get the skills development that they need. Whether that's a live webinar, or whether that is, you know, advice from our artists, or a short video that helps them the day before an interview on what they should wear, or the toughest interview questions they may get and expect, or how to work in a professional environment.

[00:34:26] You know, we've got over 100 learning hours of material. So being able to get that out and about across the nation, and also build on our live events. So we have live events where there's gigs or our skills fest, predominantly London based. We've done some in Manchester, some in Birmingham, but again, to be able to get those out across the nation.

[00:34:51] So there's nothing more impactive than being in a room with young people and seeing them and those light bulb moments watching their, their, [00:35:00] their faces as they are developing or they're networking. So, yeah, webinars are great. However, yeah, more in person events, definitely across the nation. And I think that the last thing for me around Apprentice Nation evolving is constantly seeking that connection with young people.

[00:35:22] Because they will change, and they will evolve, and I can remember, I don't want to sound really old, but I can remember when I was a teenager, it's very different to the world today. The pace is very different to the world today. So being able to keep on the ball, staying current, and staying relevant, so that we can continually inspire future generations.

[00:35:41] Sarah: Sounds, sounds absolutely wonderful. Yeah, and the thoughtfulness that has gone into developing and continuing to develop Apprentice Nation, I think is absolutely brilliant. So for either of you, what messages would you most like employers to pay attention to, or what things do you think that they should be doing [00:36:00] differently? I know Tee you've given a couple of really specific examples already, but kind of a message level and, bringing all of this together, what do you think you would like people to remember as employees.

[00:36:11] Tee: Yeah, I think young people are the future and they are that breath of fresh air, that innovation and that change that you're looking for.

[00:36:20] You, you know, my dad, my dad is always saying to me like, insanity is looking in the same place for the same thing and expecting a different result. I think he quoted that from somebody else 'cause I don't feel like that's from him, but he's always.

[00:36:34] Sarah: I feel like it might have been Einstein, although that might have been a misquote of Einstein. I don't remember, but yeah, yeah,

[00:36:38] Tee: Exactly. It's that whole concept of if you want change, if you want something that's completely different, you've got to be looking in the right places. And I do think young people have so much to offer and I'm yet to see a company that really actually understand how valuable young people are at that age where we're still growing, we're still thinking, we're still learning and really [00:37:00] just make the most out of it.

[00:37:01] I mean, I've seen it here and there, but yeah, maybe, maybe it'll be me. Maybe I'll be the one to have a full office of 18 to 21 year olds running the place. Who knows?

[00:37:09] Jasmine: That's amazing. And I think for me to build on that, Apprentice Nation currently has over 27, 000 young people in our membership base. So for us to work with organisations who are passionate about opening doors, offering opportunities. We are the conduit where the piece, you know, that that real, the, the jam in the sandwich, which is organisations want to work with us because we have access to young people. Young people want to become members of a Apprentice Nation because they want opportunities to work with organisations. So let's make those conversations happen. Let's kind of join the dots. And, you know, recently we've worked with Amazon where they were wanting to celebrate their 10 years of apprenticeships. So we had an event, which was a skills fest, and we got an amazing artist, Cat Burns, to actually [00:38:00] use them to celebrate, with us that achievement from, from Amazon. You know, Lucozade, really wanted to unlock the potential of their brand. So we were able to offer focus groups and build learning materials that were able to motivate young people to unlock their potential. And over the last three years, we've worked with BT who were really looking to change the diversification of young people who are applying for their apprenticeship programs. And we're able to, you know, work and build curriculum to support that. So yeah, it's making that connection between young people and, and the organisations.

[00:38:34] Sarah: There's so much potential and it's so important and it's just so exciting to see an organisation like yours actually addressing that gap and doing something so incredibly positive in it.

[00:38:44] Jasmine: Thank you.

[00:38:44] Sarah: So, there's there's a last question that I'd like to ask. All of, all of the guests on this podcast and that's thinking about speaking to you as a human and for both of you, what's exciting you at the moment, most either in work or out of work, what are your [00:39:00] personal aspirations for the next year or so?

[00:39:03] Tee: Should I go first and then we can end with Tee. So, I thought about this question and I'm going to be probably more, more vulnerable than I've been, many times in my career. I'm going to be open and honest and say this, and I'm pausing for a moment because saying it loud is hard. But I'm months away from my 50th birthday.

[00:39:29] Sarah: Not too far away myself.

[00:39:30] Jasmine: You know what, for me, and in terms of what's next is I'm at a really reflective time in my life. My son's about to, you know, take his GCSEs this year. So, you know, he's reaching a milestone himself. So I've kind of taken the time to really just reflect on, on who I am, what I'm about. And I remember three managers I've had throughout my career that did real significant things for their 50th. One of them ran a marathon for the [00:40:00] first time. The second one took a career break for six months and sailed the world. And the third one I'll mention it, but it's definitely not on my radar. She had a third child at 50.

[00:40:10] So I'm just thinking, what is that going to be for Jasmine? And I want more of the, the same around the passion I feel for working with young people. Definitely. I'm blessed that I'm able to work with an organisation that deals with music on a regular basis, and I love music, so I want more around being able to connect with music.

[00:40:30] But ultimately, I want to continue learning and developing, not just myself, but people around me, whether that is friends, family, or the young people I come across on a day to day basis. So yeah, give me more of that. And then ask me again in a couple of years, Sarah, to see whether or not I've actually achieved it.

[00:40:47] Sarah: I will. I love it. Thank you so much for sharing that. It's great to hear. And how about you Tee?

[00:40:53] Tee: At the moment, as I mentioned before, I still work in the NHS and I work freelance as a content producer and a [00:41:00] presenter, but I'm looking now to make that full transition and take that jump, to pursue my actual dream. And I'm not just talking like recent dream. This is a dream that I've, a childhood dream of a presenter and a content producer. But like more importantly, I've fully transitioned into a place where I'm not so anxious and beating myself up about, Oh my gosh, what am I going to do? How am I going to get there? When is it all going to come together? I think I've, I've entered a space where I'm actually just living it and every day there's something that I do that leads me closer to that dream manifesting. Even today, I've gone on a podcast and I've spoken about my goals and that's what productivity looks like to me. That's what success looks like to me, even though I might not be on KISS FM tomorrow. I'm doing the little, the little steps in between, that are going to make great pages in my book, when I eventually write it.

[00:41:54] But even more importantly, I feel like I've entered a mental space where I've kind of taken that pressure [00:42:00] off to have it all figured out. Like I'm a lot less anxious. I'm way more confident in myself and I'm just doing the things that I enjoy bit by bit, brick by brick, every single day. And I think it's just being patient and enjoying the process and really understanding that what's meant for me won't pass me. I love this and I love that this isn't going to end tomorrow, it's not going to end if I don't get that job, it's not going to end if I get rejected by this company. I'm still going to love being a presenter and a content producer regardless. So it's something that I've understood that it can't be taken away from me. And it's not measured by what it is that I'm doing or something that somebody else tells me to do. And one thing that I've realised that is very important to me, that I think I've learned from being a skills leader at Apprentice Nation is that my content has to add value.

[00:42:48] It has to be something not only that I enjoy and something that makes me a lot of money and something that makes me successful. But it's something that other people look up to and they can enjoy, that they can be [00:43:00] educated and inspired by. And whether that's sharing how I got into the space in the first place. Whether its teaching young people how to be confident in the room and advocate for yourself. Or it can be practical, how to make a show reel. It's really important that I'm not just successful to be a big name on bilboards but I actually add value to people who are looking up to me because you know, they're in my comments like 'oh my gosh Tee, I remember when you did your first YouTube video.' And its like oh my goodness, you guys are actually watching me it's time for me to give something back, because it can't just all be for me. It's got to empower those who are following up behind me. So that's where my headspace is at and I'm actually genuinely happy with where it's going.

[00:43:39] Sarah: Oh, I'm so excited for you. It's just absolutely brilliant hearing you talk about it and your positivity, but also the self reflection and the balance that you've got in there and the ability to think about how you, you know, you manage yourself and you think of, you reflect on having mental positivity, a positive attitude and how you take things forward. But [00:44:00] that kind of thoughtfulness about wanting to share it, that's incredible. And, I'm genuinely excited for you. I think, you know, you've got so many opportunities ahead of you. And I think that, kind of loops us back to what's exciting about this entire conversation is this, you know, this pool of talent that's out there, but also that energy and trying to make the most of it, give young people a platform of voice and a way into whatever they want to do, in really exciting, positive ways that engage them and help them to overcome perhaps some of the nerves, perhaps some of the anxiety, perhaps some of the perceived or real obstacles that they face and, and help them to, to make that journey together. So thank you so much.

[00:44:48] Jasmine: Just before we go, I just wanted to acknowledge Tee because I've seen this young lady grow up before my eyes. And it's only been two years. I feel like it's been a lot longer, but it's only been [00:45:00] two years. So, not just thanking her for her time today, but thanking her for being a, you know, an inspiration, and an, an amazing, phenomenal person to work with on a, on a day to day basis. So, Tee, thank you.

[00:45:12] Sarah: Wonderful. I tell you what, I was, I was looking forward to this conversation so much, but it has been even better than I could possibly have imagined. And I'm, I'm going away. I'm going away feeling really, really inspired and motivated and, you know, wanting to make the most of the rest of my day and, and think about my young people at home as well. So thank you. I've really enjoyed recording this with you, and I hope we can continue the conversation.

[00:45:39] So yeah, thanks for listening. Thank you very much both of you for your time.

[00:45:41] Jasmine & Tee: Thanks for having us.

[00:45:44] Sarah: Bye for now. [00:46:00] [Outro]