The pupils – all from Manchester Enterprise Academy, in Wythenshawe – have completed an eight-week programme, during which they were supported by business leaders from nearby companies.

All of the students were part of BW3’s Aspirational Mentoring scheme, which pairs businesspeople with youngsters from the local area.

BW3 is a business charity founded 22 years ago, with a mission to raise aspirations and improve career pathways for people in Wythenshawe.

Aspirational Mentoring is its flagship initiative and this year’s scheme including mentors from Floorbrite, Together Money, Manchester City Council and from a retired teacher.

They worked with Year Seven pupils to help them on their transition from Primary to High School.

To mark the end of their eight-week programme, they were treated to a celebration at Manchester Airport’s Runway Visitor Park, where they got to go on board a Concorde aircraft and have a go on a flight simulator.

BW3 chair Adam Jupp said: “Our Aspirational Mentoring scheme has a genuine and long-lasting impact on young people’s lives and I would like to thank all those who supported this latest cohort.

“It is fantastic to celebrate the journey these young people have gone on and is the perfect illustration of the positive impact businesses can have on the communities that surround them.”

Janine Hope, Vice Principal at MEA said “BW3 mentors for our KS3 SEN students were a game changer. They enabled some of our most vulnerable students to have a voice and raised their aspirations so they were able to see more for themselves not only now, but in the future too..”

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE ASPIRATIONAL MENTORING PROGRAMME