On Friday 7 June, 2024, 26 volunteers from Urban Synergy, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering young people, participated in a mock interview event with 150 sixth form students from Christ the King Aquinas Campus in Brockley, South London. The event aimed to help students aged 16 to 17 gain valuable experience and feedback in preparation for future job interviews.
The career role model volunteers took on the roles of interviewers and conducted mock interviews for a fictional part-time job. The students were provided with feedback on their interview performance, as well as knowledge about the company and their suitability for the role. The event also gave students the opportunity to ask the volunteers about their own careers, gaining valuable insights and tips.
According to the students, the event was a valuable learning experience. One student expressed, “I learned good conversational skills during the mock interviews,” while another said, “I enjoyed being able to engage with people who had different experiences and being able to learn and understand how they overcame these boundaries and setbacks and turned them into a success.”
The students also shared their appreciation for the event, with one stating, “It was educational, informative and helped to answer all the questions I needed answers for.” Another student highlighted the importance of the mock interview, saying, “I learned the concept of a real-life interview, as I’ve never done one before. I learned the style and the way to ask the questions and what they expect me to cover in my answers.”
Urban Synergy’s Head of Programmes, Dianne Johnson, expressed her gratitude to the role model volunteers, the teachers and staff at Christ the King Aquinas, and the participating students. “It’s great to see everyone channel their inner Idris Elba or Adjoa Andoh and act out interviews,” she said. “The mock interview is a keystone in the Urban Synergy programme, and prepares young people for their first interview – something that’s as nerve-wracking as your first driving test. Practice, as we know, is the best way to make perfect.”
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