Students aged 13+ are welcome to apply
Certificate of completion
Over 7 hours worth of content
Overview
Since 1875, Leeds Building Society has been helping their members save money and purchase homes. In this Virtual Work Experience programme you’ll learn how they work towards their Purpose of ‘putting home ownership in reach of more people, generation after generation’ and hear directly from colleagues sharing their career stories.
What’s Included
In this programme, you’ll be introduced to Leeds Building Society and everything they do. You’ll explore several careers and the pathways available to help you get there. You’ll also complete activities, quizzes and webinars with colleagues to learn more about life at the Society.
This module will introduce you to Leeds Building Society and what a building society actually is. You’ll discover the different areas you can pursue a career in, before completing an interactive quiz and activity.
You’ll learn just how important the Society’s relationship is with their customers. You’ll discover more about their charitable partners and the work they do in the local communities. What’s more, you’ll also learn about Leeds Building Society’s commitment to the environment and creating a diverse and inclusive place to work. You’ll also hear from the Responsible Business Team in this module’s webinar.
Leeds Building Society cherishes its branch network, but what does this mean? This is the question we’ll spend this module answering! Plus, what might a day in the life of someone working in a branch look like? What are their roles and responsibilities? When we’ve figured all that out, you’ll finish the module by watching an engaging webinar and completing an activity and end-of-module quiz.
Let’s introduce you to the Contact Centre and Service Desk teams and explain some typical roles and responsibilities in these areas. Throw in a video of a colleague explaining their typical day, and voilà, you’ll be an expert in no time! We also have a fantastic for you to engage with, an interactive activity, and a quiz to test your knowledge.
Learn more about the career pathways at Leeds Building Society. Learn the ins and outs of apprenticeships and discover what career development opportunities are available. Hear from the colleagues themselves, through pre-recorded videos. Test your knowledge on this subject with an end of module quiz.
After all you’ve learnt, you might be interested in a career at the Society! Good news: this module will teach you more about the skills you’ll need to develop. You’ll explore employability skills from teamwork to problem-solving to communication. This module will also give you your final activity, a self-evaluation designed to help you recognise where your strengths and weaknesses lie so you know what skills to build on for a successful career!
In this final module, you’ll discover the Society’s top tips for CV and cover letter writing. You’ll also find out more about the application process and what to expect in an interview! The final activity will be a reflection activity where you’ll consider your own transferable skills.
Available dates
Programme dates
6th December 2024 - 6th December 2025
Hear from our student community
Aqsa Saleemi, Year 12 Student
Thank you for all your time and effort. The program was by far the best experience I’ve had virtually compared to other virtual experiences I’ve done. I liked the layout and the interactive activities, and I learnt a lot I didn’t know. I would definitely recommend this program to others; it was a great experience I would love to do it all again.
Wilfred Williams, Year 12 Student from London
I enjoyed the webinars since it was a good way to get a real understanding about the banking industry. There also were many tools to help build my transferrable skills, and this will benefit me when moving into the working world and further education.
Sophia Nathwani, Year 11 Student, from Hampton
I enjoyed understanding the many professions and areas within journalism that I had not been able to clearly separate prior to this programme; I particularly enjoyed the photojournalism and broadcast journalism sections, as they allowed me to explore a less conventional writing style than what I would normally use. The interactive tasks were a great way for me to demonstrate and put into practice my new knowledge, and all of the videos were extremely concise and helpful.
Ellinor Comard, Year 12 Student from Teddington
I really enjoyed how it introduced completely new and interesting technologies such as smart buildings. I also really liked the webinars as they give you an insight into what it's actually like working in a specific field.
Stephanie Oseha, Year 12 Student
A huge thank you to everyone who made this programme possible. It was a fantastic experience, and I feel more confident in myself now when applying for a job position in the future and in my personal life. I valued this experience because I realised it was okay to make mistakes and how they make you stronger for future events. I loved how efficient the Barclays team was when students and the professionals who ran the live webinars asked questions. The skills I've learnt through this virtual work experience will be used for future endeavours. So once again, thank you so much.
Jack Zhou, Year 12 Student from Kingston upon Thames
I enjoyed how interactive it was. It contains a range of videos and activities - so you aren't just reading a huge chunk of information all the time; it gets your brain to start thinking and keeps it going. Thank you very much for your hard work; it has enlightened me.
Frequently asked questions
When will I hear back if I have been successful with my application?
Once you have applied for your programme, you will receive a confirmation email. You will be notified about the outcome of your application via email at least 3 days before the programme start date. Good luck!
Can I apply to multiple programmes?
Yes, you can sign up to multiple programmes with us. The live talks will be available as recordings, so you can catch up on any potential clashes.
Who can take part in the programme? (Age limits, some programmes have location constraints but most don’t etc.)
Most of our programmes require students to be in school/college. Some programmes require students to be based in specific regions of the UK, this is stipulated by the organisations themselves, and is not defined by Springpod.
However, the ages mentioned on our programmes are more of a guideline than a strict limit. As such, we more than welcome older students to apply as well!
How long does it take for assignments to be reviewed?
Assignments can take up to a week or longer to review and be marked complete. Rest assured, it will be reviewed soon and your certificate will be generated once your programme has been marked as complete.
What do I do if I upload the wrong file?
If you make a mistake when uploading a file, please email hello@springpod.com. We will be able to make a note on our system. Don’t worry, the outcome of your programme will not be affected by this.
How long will I have to complete this programme?
There is no specific cut-off deadline for completing your programme (although, if possible, we would encourage you to complete all the work within the time frame, alongside the live webinar sessions).
When does the programme start?
Our programmes have various start dates, you can find the exact date on the programme website page. These are available here: https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience/search
You will be notified if your application has been successful, 3 days before the programme start date.
What happens if I can't finish the work experience in time?
All programme material will remain accessible after the end date of the programme. Students can continue to work through their programme after the official end date. Although, if possible, we would strongly encourage students to complete all the work within the time frame, alongside the live webinar sessions.
How much work is required for these programmes? (Will I be able/should I complete more than one programme at a time)?
There is around 10 hours worth of work in total, spread across a two week period. The live talks will be available as recordings, so you can catch up on any work whenever possible.
When do the programmes run? (programme structure etc.)
Once you have access, you can view and complete the material as and when you can, within the time frame of the course in question (for example, within a two week period). In total, there is around 10 hours worth of work. The live talks will take place during weekday working hours. However, all live talks will be available as recordings and the courses can be completed at your own convenience. . There is no specific cut-off deadline for completing your programme (although, if possible, we would encourage you to complete all the work within the time frame, alongside the live webinar sessions).
What happens if I can't make a live talk/webinar?
All live talks will be available as recordings. You can access these at the same link used to access the live event. So don’t worry if you can’t attend a live webinar, a recording will be available for you to access through your programme within 24 hours of the live event finishing.
What software is required for the live talks?
We use a piece of software called BigMarker. It is a cloud based video hosting software. It requires no installations or downloads on your end, and will provide everything you need to join the live webinars through one simple link.
Will I be able to ask questions/do I have to have my microphone on?
You will have a chance to ask questions at the end of each webinar. These questions are typed out and then read to the presenter by the host of the live talk. There is no need to speak, and all student microphones will be muted for the duration of the live webinar.
Will I receive a certificate on completion of the programme?
You will receive a certificate on completion of your programme. It will be made available to download whenever your programme is marked as complete.
Do you offer in-person work experience?
We don't directly manage in person work experience but many of our virtual programmes can lead to in person opportunities, look for the programmes marked as 'Virtual to Reality'. You will need to complete the virtual programme and declare your interest via the embedded form.
When will I hear if there is an in-person opportunity?
Our employer partner will contact you directly about any opportunities, timescales can vary Springpod won't be able to provide any updates on progress.
How can I delete my account?
You can delete your account following the below steps
Can you please ensure you log into your account at the following link: https://www.springpod.com
Once logged in, click on your name in the top right-hand corner, select settings and then ‘delete account’.
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