Northumbria students set to benefit from Enterprise Mobility funding

Enterprise Mobility has pledged additional funding and scholarship support to help existing and aspiring students from all backgrounds join Northumbria - and thrive.

Through its Enterprise Mobility Foundation the global vehicle rental company has committed a further £13,500 to Northumbria in the next academic year, raising its total funding support for the University since 2021 to £35,000. Most of the additional money will go to the IntoUniversity Newcastle East Centre which helps young people from under-represented backgrounds overcome barriers and progress into higher education. In collaboration with Northumbria Student Union, the funds will also help finance mental health and first aid training courses for students, so they can in turn provide support to vulnerable peers.

Recently named Graduate Employer of the Year at the 2024 TargetJobs National Graduate Recruitment Awards, Enterprise Mobility shares Northumbria’s focus on social mobility and offering life-changing opportunities to all students regardless of their background or financial circumstances. Through philanthropic giving, a range of scholarships and broader support with graduate career pathways and recruitment, Enterprise has also been a key partner to Northumbria’s Higher Education Without Barriers (HEWB)fund. Donating to the HEWB fund helps ensure anyone with the potential to go to university has the opportunity to do so.

Northumbria alumna and Enterprise Mobility Talent Manager, Laura James, said: “Social mobility and widening participation are huge on our agenda, we really do believe that where you start shouldn’t dictate where you end up in life. This is why we work so closely with Northumbria in areas such as scholarships and recruiting students through our graduate and placement programmes. It’s also because of what Northumbria offers outside of the academic, be that extracurricular activities or the experiential learning opportunities it offers to all its students so they can improve their employability through real-life working experiences.

“Northumbria students have proven to us time and time again that it isn’t just the piece of paper that they qualify with. It’s the softer skills, it’s the aptitude, it’s the drive and that has meant that we’ve had some very successful Northumbria alumni within our business.

Dan Monnery, Chief Strategy Officer at Northumbria, added: “Up to 40% of our undergraduates come from under-represented or less advantaged backgrounds which is a record we are extremely proud of and one we are determined to maintain and build on so we can offer opportunity to students from all backgrounds. Higher education can transform lives and thanks to this latest donation from Enterprise Mobility and their support for IntoNewcastle, we can help even more students realise their full potential.

“We are also looking forward to deepening our relationship with Enterprise through graduate recruitment. Northumbria places more graduates in highly skilled jobs in the North East than any other university, providing a pipeline of talent for major companies such as Enterprise and helping to grow the regional economy.”

For more information on Northumbria and how to contribute to the University’s Higher Education Without Barriers fund please visit: www.giving.northumbria.ac.uk