United Infrastructure’s Customer Experience Team, part of its Social Infrastructure business, recently volunteered at Altrincham College to support its Year 12 Mock Interview Day, helping students build confidence and prepare for life beyond the classroom.

The team spent the afternoon carrying out mock interviews with students aged 16–18, allowing them to practise their interview technique, receive practical feedback and gain a better understanding of what to expect in a professional environment.

For many young people, Mock Interview Days provide one of the first opportunities to experience what life beyond an academic setting could look like. 

They offer a safe and supportive space to practise answering questions, talk about ambitions and interests, and begin developing the confidence needed for future interviews, further education, training or employment.

While many students may have an idea of the career they want to pursue while at school, the path they eventually take can often look quite different. 

United Infrastructure believes employers have an important role to play in helping bridge that gap, opening up conversations and shining a light on the many different opportunities available to young people leaving education.

This is particularly important for businesses such as United Infrastructure, whose Social Infrastructure work is centred on delivering essential construction, maintenance and property services within local communities. 

From improving homes and schools to supporting residents through works programmes, the sector relies on a wide range of skills, from technical trades and project delivery to customer experience, resident liaison and operational support.

The need to attract more people into these roles comes at a time when the UK continues to face a significant skills challenge. 

In the North West alone, more than 100,000 young people are estimated to be unemployed or out of work, highlighting the importance of creating clearer pathways into training and employment. 

Nationally, the UK Government has announced more than £600 million of investment to train up to 60,000 more construction workers, underlining the scale of action needed to strengthen the sector’s future workforce.

United Infrastructure continues to support social value initiatives that create meaningful benefits for local communities, from education and employability activities to projects that help residents and local partners access new opportunities.

Bridging the Industry Career Gap for Young People

Emma Davis, Customer Experience Manager at United Infrastructure, said: 

“The students were fantastic, thoughtful, ambitious and really engaged throughout the day. It was a privilege to hear about their interests, aspirations and the different paths they are considering for the future.

“The career you go into later in life may be quite different from the one you imagined when you were at school, which is why opportunities like Mock Interview Days are so valuable. 

“They not only help students build confidence and practise important communication skills, but also open up conversations about the many different routes available beyond the classroom.

“At United Infrastructure, we feel it’s important to help bridge that gap and shine a light on the multiple opportunities that can be found across utilities, property services and social infrastructure. 

“Whether young people are interested in working with communities, delivering projects, learning a trade, liaising with trade media or supporting customers, there are many different ways to build a meaningful career in our sector.”

Enhancing College Careers Education Programmes

Hannah Mitchelmore, Careers Lead at Altrincham College, said: 

“We were delighted to welcome Emma and her team to our Sixth Form as part of our Mock Interview Day. 

“Mock interviews play a vital role in our careers education programme, offering students invaluable experience in a supportive environment. 

“For many students, this is their first interview, providing essential preparation for future opportunities such as university, degree apprenticeships or competitive job applications.

“We are extremely grateful to United Infrastructure’s Customer Experience Team for their support and contribution, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”

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