This year marks a significant milestone for Leicestershire Cares - the 20th anniversary of the Interview Technique Project. For two decades, this programme has brought together local business volunteers and secondary school students across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland to take part in structured mock interviews. Over the last 20 years we have had the incredible support of over 10,000 volunteers who have interviewed over 100,000 students!
Twenty years on, the project is not only still relevant, it is more important than ever.
Each year, hundreds of students take part in realistic, one-to-one mock interviews with volunteers from local businesses. They receive constructive verbal and written feedback, tailored to help them refine their communication skills, body language, preparation techniques and confidence. The careers landscape has evolved significantly over the last two decades, particularly following the introduction and recent updates to the Gatsby Benchmarks.
The Interview Technique Project strongly supports schools in delivering:
- Gatsby Benchmark 5 – Encounters with Employers and Employees
Ensuring every student has meaningful encounters with employers. - Gatsby Benchmark 6 – Experiences of Workplaces
Providing authentic insight into workplace expectations and professional behaviours.
A “meaningful encounter,” as defined within the Gatsby framework, involves two-way interaction, preparation and reflection. Our Interview Technique events are designed precisely around this principle. These are interactive, high-impact experiences that meet the spirit as well as the letter of the benchmarks. In a time when schools face increasing pressure to evidence high-quality careers provision, the project offers a proven, scalable and curriculum-aligned solution.
Research consistently shows that sustained, meaningful engagement with employers reduces the likelihood of young people becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).
Young people who have multiple employer encounters during secondary education are:
- Less likely to disengage post-16
- More confident in navigating recruitment processes
- More informed about local labour market opportunities
- Better equipped to transition into further education, apprenticeships or employment
For students at risk of low aspiration or limited access to professional networks, these interactions can be transformational. A mock interview might last 15–20 minutes but its impact can last for years.
As we celebrate this 20th anniversary, we do so with pride but also with purpose.
The project stands as a testament to what sustained collaboration between schools and business can achieve. It demonstrates how high-quality, meaningful encounters with employers can build skills, raise aspirations and reduce the risk of young people falling out of education or employment.
Twenty years on, the mission remains the same:
To ensure every young person has the confidence, skills and opportunity to succeed in their next step.