Breaking the Class Ceiling: How to Build an Internship Programme that Drives Real Social Change

3 days ago
3 min read

Hire interns in your organisation with expert guidance from The Brokerage

For too long, access to the corporate world has been gatekept by who you know, rather than what you can do. The reality is stark: according to the Sutton Trust, the majority of internships are still not openly advertised and disproportionately go to young people from higher socio-economic backgrounds with existing professional family connections.

This systemic inequality leaves an abundance of brilliant, under-resourced young people locked out of opportunities they deeply deserve. At The Brokerage, we believe it’s time to open those doors.

As a social mobility charity with 30 years of experience, we know that internships can be a vital catalyst for change. All of the candidates we place come from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and for many, their placement is their first step into a corporate environment.

We also know that when companies do it right, the results are transformative: data shows that candidates who complete an internship with us are 1.75 times more likely to secure a professional career than similar young people who don't.

What do interns and managers think makes a good internship?

But a truly impactful internship doesn't happen by accident. It requires thoughtful planning, structural fairness, and a genuine commitment to empowering young people.

We asked the experts: The Interns and their Managers

To understand exactly what makes a placement successful, we analysed feedback from 220 interns and their managers who have participated in Brokerage internships over the last five years. We combined this extensive data with our three decades of recruitment expertise to create our new comprehensive guide:

How to run a successful internship: What interns and managers really think.

Here is a sneak peek at what you will discover inside:

Dismantling Bias in Recruitment: Standard CVs are often loaded with systemic biases. We share why implementing "blind" screening and interview processes is one of the most effective ways to focus purely on skills and tap into diverse talent.
Accessible Language Matters: Corporate jargon alienates those without industry connections. Learn how to craft job descriptions and aspirational titles that welcome early-career applicants rather than turning them away.
Empowerment Over Observation: Interns don't just want to shadow; they want to make a meaningful impact. Discover how trusting interns with real, business-critical projects from day one builds their confidence and brings fresh, vital energy into your team.
Demystifying the Workplace: For a young person without professional networks, the first week can be daunting. We share simple, actionable steps -from pre-placement networking to structured inductions - that help young people break down barriers and start building their own vital networks.

Ready to level the playing field?

Internships shouldn't be a perk for the privileged; they should be a bridge to a fairer, more diverse workforce. When organisations invest the time to create structured, inclusive programmes, they don't just build a reliable pipeline of highly motivated future talent—they actively change lives.

Whether you are building an internship programme from scratch or looking to ensure your current scheme is truly accessible to underrepresented young people, The Brokerage is here to guide you every step of the way.

Read the full report:

Contents

1. Why offer internships?

2. Before your internship

a. Recruitment

b. After offers are made

3. Making a good start

4. During the internship

5. Ending the internship well

6. Positive outcomes, short and long term