Thames Water is launching a new scheme to give long-term unemployed people a foot-up on the career ladder through work experience in the water industry.

The water company is inviting a group of six people from east London to join them for three weeks to get a feel for what life is really like behind the scenes providing water and wastewater services to 15 million people.

The programme called ‘Give Someone a Start’ was first developed by Britain’s biggest water firm in 2012 and is supported by the government. The east London scheme is the first of four that Thames Water will be supporting in the next eight months with the others set for west London, Reading and Swindon.

It shows participants what employers are looking for while also equipping them with practical skills and hands-on experience in a real workplace, including at sewage and water treatment works and in offices.

They will also be given tips on interview techniques and CV writing and take part in a workshop to sharpen-up their IT skills.

Thames Water launched the Give Someone a Start scheme in 2012 when 32 candidates from London and the Thames Valley spent two weeks with the firm learning about the water industry and getting used to being in full time employment. Eight of them went on to secure jobs, including 22 year-old Charlotte Marshall from Reading who impressed her Thames Water mentor so much she was offered a job as a receptionist at the company’s head office.

Charlotte said: “I was thrilled when I was offered the job. Finding work when you’re not already in employment can be really difficult so I’d recommend that anyone who is given the opportunity to take part in a scheme like this grabs it with both hands. I did and I’m pleased to still be doing a job I enjoy two years on.”

Thames Water education manager Paul Hampton said:

“Give Someone a Start is a valuable scheme giving unemployed people a taster, or in some cases, a reminder of what it’s like to be in the workplace.

“We employ more than 4,500 people at Thames Water so have a huge amount to offer in the way of advice and experience. We’re very proud of this programme which has proved in the past gets results and, most importantly, people into work.”

A presentation event will be held in the Tower Hamlets Borough on Friday, October 3 to mark the end of the three-week east London programme, where certificates will be presented to participants as well as a full development plan to help them find a job. Similar events will be held at each of the other three locations.