Work Insight & Skills Week

SMBP is a volunteer-led charity that works with over 180 businesses, professional services firms, and sports organisations across the UK to help students from low-income backgrounds explore careers in business.

The WISE (Work Insight & Skills Experience) Programme is delivered through two routes:

• In-Person WISE Week, a five-day programme where students visit employers across the UK and take part in interactive business-like tasks, practical activities, meet professionals, develop employability skills, and gain insight into different careers.
• National Online WISE Week, a four-day virtual programme that provides the same employer-led careers insight and skills development through bespoke webinars, while removing travel barriers and increasing accessibility.

Each day of the SMBP programmes are designed around four pillars: Listening & Speaking, Teamwork & Leadership, Planning & Adapting, and Creativity & Problem Solving. Students track their development of their skills and competencies through pre- and post-programme benchmarking within the SMBP Student App, aligned to the Skills Builder Universal Framework, and complete daily skills reflections to evidence their progress. Following WISE Week, students can continue developing these competencies through career mentoring, application support, webinars, and exclusive alumni opportunities.