upReach

Who we are

Do you think that your socio-economic background should determine your career prospects?

upReach’s vision is of a society in which everybody has an equal opportunity to realise their full career potential. We help young people from less-advantaged backgrounds achieve their career potential by providing an intensive programme of support that addresses socio-economic barriers to graduate employment.

Our work is important because right now a student from a disadvantaged background who gains a first class degree from a top university is still less likely to secure an elite job than a more privileged student with a 2.2. We are an award-winning charity employer working to address this issue in partnership with employers and universities.

Building on the success of the past five years, upReach’s current partners include Aviva, Bank of America, the Civil Service Fast Stream, Coutts, Deloitte, McKinsey, Slaughter and May, PwC and EY. We also partner with universities such as Exeter, King’s College, Liverpool and Warwick to name a few.

This academic year, over 3,000 undergraduates (we call them upReach Associates) have been supported through our unique programme of application support, soft skills workshops, video forums (small group, online seminar-style sessions), mentoring and professional experience. We have recently released our 2025 Strategy, outlining ambitious plans to reach over 4000 students per year by 2025.

The charity is growing quickly, and there are opportuntiies for growth and development in all areas of our operations. It is an exciting time to join us and make a real difference to many students lives. 

To find out more about upReach and how we support our students, visit our website and read our Annual Report.

Our culture and values

Despite a growing number of working-class students attending university, unfortunately this does not always translate to securing competitive graduate roles at elite firms. Research shows that economic background continues to be one of the most significant drivers of inequality in society:

• While only 7% of the UK population attended private schools, these institutions dominate senior roles, with 65% of judges, 59% of civil service permanent secretaries, 57% of the House of Lords, and 44% of newspaper columnists having received a private education (The Sutton Trust).

• People from professional family backgrounds are 80% more likely to enter professional jobs compared to their less-advantaged peers (Social Mobility Commission).

• On average, university graduates who received free school meals earn 11.5% less than their peers five years after graduating (Social Mobility Commission).

• A mere 35% of UK adults believe that everyone has a fair chance to achieve success based on their hard work (Social Mobility Commission).

At upReach, we believe this is unacceptable, so we are dedicated to creating a society where everyone has an equal and fair shot at success.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

At upReach, we are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and do not discriminate in employment matters on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, social background or any other protected class. We celebrate and value the diverse perspectives that people from all backgrounds bring to our team. We are passionate about creating a workplace that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of communities across the UK. Diversity in the workplace creates dynamic and effective organisations and we are actively working to build a more inclusive workforce by continuously improving our recruitment, retention, and development practices. We  particularly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities , those who are care-experienced, those from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those who are LGBTQIA+.