Driving ambition: behind the scenes at the London E-Prix with 14 young job seekers

Choosing a career path when you’re starting out can feel like a huge commitment when you haven't had any opportunity to try it out yet. It's hard to know what jobs are out there and how to get your foot in the door, especially with no experience on your CV or contacts in your industry.

At giffgaff, we’re passionate about fairness and levelling the playing field. That’s why we joined forces with Formula E alongside our long-term impact partner, Big Issue Recruit, to support young people looking for work and making decisions about the future.

As part of this, Formula E’s Better Futures Fund will provide €25,000 (around £21.3K) to Big Issue Recruit to help 20 young people who are struggling to find work. Candidates will get essential career support, including refurbished tech, digital skills training and 1-on-1 career coaching, to help them take those important first steps.

Accelerating opportunity on race day

We kicked off the partnership at the London E-Prix on August 15-16, inviting 14 Big Issue Recruit candidates to join giffgaff for paid work experience. 

“We know that talent is everywhere, but opportunity isn’t,” says Tracey Herald, giffgaff’s ESG Lead.

“We hope this hands-on experience on a global stage gives these young people a standout story for job interviews, a real boost to their CVs and, above all, complete confidence in what they’re capable of achieving.”

On Friday, the candidates got a behind-the-scenes look at the track and explored a wide range of careers that power the global sporting event. 

By the weekend, they were racing ahead: candidates worked alongside members of the giffgaff team in the Fan Village, which attracted over 50,000 visitors, championing giffgaff’s phone refurbishment and recycling services. They also had a chance to support giffgaff’s social media team on vox pop interviews and production, including lighting and camerawork. The giffgaff team was on hand to support and network with the young people, offering careers advice and tips.

“Seeing the candidates transition from exploring backstage on Friday to running quizzes, championing refurbished tech and networking with professionals across marketing, sales and motorsport by Sunday was inspiring,” says Tracey.

“They showed what young people are capable of when given a real chance.”

Creating lasting impact with young people

Goodness, one of the London E-Prix work experience candidates, says the opportunity helped her to feel more confident in her abilities. “It’s a good thing to get out of your comfort zone,” she says. “You gain new skills, experience new things and meet new people.”

Passionate about a career in marketing, Goodness worked closely with the giffgaff social media team.

“I got to learn the whole process of content creation and what it really takes to put things together. It’s not just what you see online; there’s a whole process behind it, which was really cool,” she says.

“The giffgaff team members were so patient and helpful. They answered any questions I had and told me interesting things about what they do.” 

The work experience has helped her prepare for a new fundraising job, secured through a Big Issue Recruit partner, starting in September and requiring similar skills. “It was a good experience and it’s helped me get a little bit of practice,” she says.

Fellow candidate Niyaz says that the work experience has changed how he feels about the future. “For the past year and a half, I’ve been job searching but without a clear vision. It’s like I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean, but there’s no wind,” he says. 

Working in the Fan Village and networking with the giffgaff team helped him realise that he wants to work in digital marketing. 

“This work experience was my first job ever,” he reveals, adding that networking with the giffgaff team and hearing about their different career paths was eye-opening.

“I always thought events would be quite intimidating, but it wasn’t bad,” he adds. 

He recalls feeling proud when he saw how busy the giffgaff stall was, knowing he’d engaged many of the race fans to take part in activities and win merchandise.

“We ran out of things to give away,” he says. “I’d like to work more on events going forward and just see what the future has in store.”

Why work experience matters for young job seekers

For Shak Dean, a Job Coach at Big Issue Recruit, work experience is hugely valuable for young job seekers because it provides routine, responsibility and access to a professional environment they may not have had before. Crucially, in a turbulent job market, it gives candidates something to write on their CV and references. 

”The minute that these guys finished their work experience over the weekend, I've sent them all out a little bit of a summary of what they did over the weekend and what they should be putting into their CVs and how they can kind of talk about that in a positive way,” he explains.

For Shak, it’s crucial for employers to treat work experience seriously: “It's got to be meaningful work, with clear targets and expectations. You need to set clear expectations and treat it like work essentially — and engage with candidates on a human level."

Ultimately, it's about more than employability.

"A lot of these young people don't feel seen. They don't feel valued. And it's about instilling those things into them," he says. "The most important thing is for employers to understand the value of these young people and the fact that, if given a chance, they can really exceed your expectations."

Race day is just the start

While the London E-Prix was an amazing launchpad, the work doesn’t stop when the tracks clear. The giffgaff and Big Issue Recruit partnership, running since 2023, focuses on long-term progression and will continue to support young people looking for employment.

Thanks to Formula E’s Better Futures Fund, 20 young people will be supported through a career programme. Formula E will also run career days, giving candidates the chance to visit offices to gain first-hand experience and connect with managers to identify long-term opportunities.