Business volunteers play a vital role in ensuring that every young person in Surrey can learn about the world of work, develop essential skills and access inspiring career opportunities.
By sharing your experience, knowledge and network, you help put real workplaces at the heart of education. Whether you can spare an hour a term or want to build a long‑term strategic partnership with a school or college, there are flexible ways to get involved.
Why Become a Business Volunteer?
Young people make better decisions about their future when they understand the breadth of opportunities available to them. As a Business Volunteer, you provide:
- Employer insight – helping students and educational institutions understand local industries, roles and pathways
- Real‑world context – connecting curriculum learning to the workplace and key labour-market information
- Inspiration and confidence – motivating young people to explore careers they may not have considered
You’ll also gain:
- Opportunities to raise the profile of your organisation and your early careers in schools and colleges
- Engagement with your future talent pipeline
- A rewarding way to support your community
- A chance to develop your own staff through volunteering
Ways to Get Involved
We offer two flexible levels of engagement so you can choose what works for you and your organisation.
1. Light‑Touch Support
Ideal for volunteers who want to make a difference but have limited time.
You can take part in ad‑hoc, one‑off activities such as:
Speed networking, careers fairs, mock interviews, workshops, guest speaking, industry talks and more.
Each month, we’ll send you a calendar of upcoming events that schools and colleges have requested employer support for. Simply sign up to the activities that suit your availability, no long-term commitment required.
2. Strategic Support
If you’d like to make a sustained impact over time, you can provide strategic support to schools and colleges by:
- Using your experience, skills and networks to support Careers Leaders and senior education staff
- Helping education settings build meaningful employer partnerships
- Strengthening careers programmes to improve outcomes for young people
- Advising on curriculum links to industry
- Supporting employers to provide experiences of the workplace
This is a rewarding leadership-level volunteer opportunity, ideal for professionals who want to drive positive change within the careers landscape and support education settings to shape long-term career pathways for young people.
What Business Volunteers Help Achieve
By volunteering, you contribute directly to:
- Raising young people’s aspirations
- Improving employability skills and ensuring careers programmes get young people ready for the workplace
- Increasing access to work experience and employer engagements
- Strengthening links between schools, colleges and local businesses
- Ensuring Surrey has a skilled, future-ready workforce
Your involvement helps Surrey institutions develop and deliver an engaging careers provision, build strong industry connections that support young people in taking their positive next step in education, employment or training and get more employers onboard to deliver meaningful experiences of the workplace.
Who Can Volunteer?
We welcome volunteers from all industries, sectors and roles including SMEs, large employers, self-employed professionals and freelancers. You don’t need previous volunteering experience just a willingness to share your knowledge and help inspire the next generation.
Get Involved
If you're passionate about helping young people and want to support local schools and colleges, we’d love to hear from you.