Why Young People Need Real Experiences, Not Just Observation
One thing that struck me during the programme was how quickly the atmosphere changed once the students realised this wasn’t simply about sitting quietly in the corner and observing.
They became part of the conversation.
They were encouraged to ask questions.
They shared their own thoughts and aspirations.
They discovered that every experienced broadcaster, journalist and business owner once stood exactly where they are now—taking those first uncertain steps into the world of work.
Real work experience should never be about making tea or photocopying paperwork.
It should be about building confidence.
Giving young people permission to contribute.
Showing them that their opinions matter.
Helping them discover strengths they perhaps didn’t know they possessed.
Sometimes all it takes is one positive experience to change the way a young person sees themselves.
Confidence Doesn’t Arrive Overnight
Confidence is something I speak about regularly at 1230 The Women’s Company.
People often imagine confident people were simply born that way.
The truth is usually very different.
Confidence grows through experience.
It grows through conversations.
It grows by saying “yes” to opportunities that feel slightly outside your comfort zone.
Walking into a radio studio for the first time can feel intimidating.
Walking into a networking event can feel intimidating.
Giving a presentation can feel intimidating.
Starting a new job can feel intimidating.
Yet every confident person you meet has almost certainly experienced those same butterflies at some point.
The difference is that they chose to keep going.
Perhaps one day these five young people will look back on their afternoon in the radio studio as one of those defining moments when they realised they were capable of far more than they imagined.
The Importance of Listening
As someone who has spent more than two decades bringing people together through networking, I often say that the best communicators aren’t necessarily the best talkers.
They’re the best listeners.
During the programme, it was wonderful to watch the students listening carefully to one another as well as to the conversations taking place around them.
Listening isn’t passive.
It is an active skill.
It’s how we learn.
It’s how we understand different perspectives.
And it’s how meaningful relationships begin.
Whether you’re interviewing someone on the radio, attending a networking meeting or simply meeting somebody for coffee, listening is often the greatest gift you can give.
Why Local Businesses Matter
Work experience also reminds us of something else.
Communities thrive when local businesses work together.
Life In… Magazines gave these young people an opportunity.
The radio station welcomed them into the studio.
Other local businesses continue to support work placements, apprenticeships and mentoring opportunities throughout our borough.
Each organisation may only play a small part.
But collectively those parts create something much bigger.
They create opportunity.
And opportunity has a remarkable habit of multiplying.
One introduction becomes another.
One conversation leads to another.
One opportunity creates another.
That’s exactly how strong business communities are built.
Every Conversation Has the Potential to Change a Life
People sometimes ask why I enjoy networking so much.
The answer is actually very simple.
Because I never know which conversation is going to matter.
It may be the conversation that introduces someone to their future employer.
It may be the conversation that starts a new business partnership.
It may be the conversation that gives someone the confidence to launch a business.
Or perhaps it’s simply the conversation that reminds someone they’re capable of achieving more than they thought possible.
That’s why I still become excited every time I walk into a room full of people.
Because conversations change lives.
I’ve seen it happen time and time again.
Looking to the Future
I sincerely hope each of these young people continues following their ambitions, wherever those ambitions eventually lead.
Perhaps one will become a journalist.
Another may work in broadcasting.
One may pursue forensic science.
Someone else may discover an entirely different career they haven’t even considered yet.
Whatever happens, I hope they remember that somebody believed in them enough to say:
“Come and have a go.”
Those four words can sometimes alter the direction of a life.
My Final Thought
As I left the studio that afternoon, I found myself smiling.
Not simply because we’d recorded another enjoyable radio programme.
Not simply because the students had embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm.
But because I was reminded why I still love doing what I do after all these years.
Every week I have the privilege of meeting extraordinary people.
Some have decades of experience.
Some are only just beginning.
But every one of them has a story.
Every one of them has something to teach us.
And every one of them deserves the chance to be heard.
Perhaps that’s what the 1230 TWC Business Beat Radio Show has really become.
A place where conversations become confidence.
Where introductions become opportunities.
Where knowledge becomes inspiration.
And where one simple question continues to open doors…
“Tell me about you.”
Giving the Next Generation a Voice
You never know who you’ll meet, what you’ll learn, or where one conversation might lead.
Listen to and discover more from 1230 TWC Business Beat Radio
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Jackie Groundsell
The Queen of Connections
1230 TWC
