Wiseup Blog

Wiseup Networks is delighted to announce that Co-Founder, Graham Wood, has been appointed as a judge for the SME National Business Awards. This appointment recognises Graham’s extensive experience as an entrepreneur, mentor and business leader, alongside his ongoing contribution to supporting organisations and individuals to achieve meaningful growth.

Wiseup is proud to announce the launch of the fourth Intern Programme, delivered in partnership with Kantar. Kicking off with two mentor training workshops last week, Intern 26 is officially underway. This year’s programme will see 44 mentors supporting students from South Bank University Academy, Sedgehill Academy, Harris Westminster and St John’s the Baptist School — helping them take meaningful steps towards their future careers.

It’s a proud moment in the Wiseup calendar, as we celebrate the launch of LondonEnergy’s fifth consecutive Pathfinder Programme. This milestone reflects a strong and growing partnership, built on a shared commitment to supporting young people as they take their first steps into the world of work.

It’s been a standout couple of weeks for Wiseup, with three significant milestones highlighting the growing recognition of our work: invitations to speak at a roundtable and a panel, as well as a mention at the House of Commons. We’re proud to champion these moments, as they show our progress along with the ever-increasing importance of creating meaningful opportunities for young people across the UK.

This International Women’s Day, Wiseup is here to champion gender equality. A theme close to our hearts, we have seen firsthand how an individual's gender can influence key areas such as confidence, aspiration and belief in what is possible. Many of the schools we work with have a high percentage of students on free school meals or bursaries. When this is coupled with differences in gender aspirations and confidence levels, we see a whole segment of young people feeling disempowered before they have even entered the workplace. Wiseup is here to change this. For International Women’s Day 2026, we’re looking at what the latest evidence tells us about how women fare in upward social mobility compared to men across Britain — and, importantly, what we are doing to actively change this.

Last week marked the conclusion of an exciting and impactful work experience week as part of the Pathfinder Programme in partnership with DJH. Between 23–27 February, five talented students from Trafford and Stockport College – all with SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) spent a full week in DJH’s Altrincham office. Aimed at giving the students a thorough understanding of what to expect from one of the UK’s fastest growing accountancy firms, we’re thrilled to share that the week was a huge success, and the students gained a lot from it. Read on to discover what went down during DJH’s jampacked week!