Freedom Fire & Safety: How engaging with young people helped build a future talent pipeline

Building a skilled, motivated workforce is essential for any growing business. Whether it's filling skills gaps, increasing capacity or bringing in new ideas, employers are increasingly looking for new ways to develop talent and build a resilient workforce.

For Freedom Fire & Safety Ltd, a growing fire safety and compliance business based in Bury, engaging with young people through T Levels has delivered tangible business benefits, from supporting key projects and increasing capacity to building a dedicated future workforce.

After being introduced to T Levels through Bury College, with the T Level placement set up through the Growth Company, Freedom Fire welcomed its first cohort of three students from Bury College.

What began as an opportunity to support local students has since developed into a pipeline of skilled and motivated employees, with all three students from the company's first cohort progressing into paid roles within the business.

For Managing Director Tom Letcher, however, the impact extends beyond recruitment.

"What matters most to me about the business isn't the achievements, it's about the people those achievements have enabled to work here and the people that have become from this business."

Freedom Fire is now preparing to welcome its next cohort of T Level placements and continuing to build a pipeline of future talent.

Delivering real business value

Hosting T Level students has delivered measurable business benefits for Freedom Fire, helping the company increase capacity and progress strategic projects in-house.

Rather than observing from the sidelines, the students were trusted with genuine responsibility and encouraged to contribute to meaningful work from day one.

One of the most significant examples was the development of the company's new ecommerce platform. Having previously received quotes of between £20,000 and £30,000 for the project, the business saw an opportunity to develop the platform in-house, with students working alongside experienced colleagues to bring the project to life.

Software engineering students Bill and Gabriel played an important role in progressing the platform, helping move forward a project that will support the company's future growth ambitions while gaining valuable real-world experience.

Building a workforce invested in the company's future

Building a workforce with the right skills, experience and potential for growth is a priority for many businesses.

T Level placements offer a unique opportunity to identify talent early, develop skills in line with business needs and build relationships with young people at the start of their careers. For Freedom Fire, this approach has helped create a team of employees who are genuinely invested in the company's success.

Tom believes that giving young people meaningful opportunities to learn and contribute has delivered benefits for both the individuals involved and the wider business.

"People develop real skills here across warehousing, ecommerce, administration and digital systems. We give meaningful opportunities at a pace that suits them, and that's strengthened our business, created loyalty and helped people build confidence and purpose."

Following their placements, all three students progressed into paid roles within the business. Bill continues to work with Freedom Fire part-time while studying Software Engineering at the University of Salford, while Harrison and Gabriel have secured full-time roles.

Rather than recruiting unfamiliar candidates, the business has been able to nurture talent from an early stage, developing employees who already understand the organisation, share its values and want to play a role in its continued growth.

Supporting Greater Manchester's future workforce

Giving young people meaningful experiences in the workplace can have a lasting impact, helping them build confidence, develop practical skills and gain a better understanding of future career opportunities.

Employers play an important role in helping young people make the connection between education and employment. Whether through short-term workplace experiences or longer industry placements, these opportunities allow students to apply their learning in a real business environment, develop transferable skills and gain valuable insight into different industries.

At Freedom Fire, placements were designed to give students a genuine insight into working life, helping them develop practical skills while contributing as part of the wider team.

Removing barriers and creating opportunities

For Freedom Fire, providing opportunities for young people is about more than filling vacancies. It's about recognising potential, removing barriers and creating pathways into employment.

Tom describes this approach as 'The Way In'.

"The Way In is basically the way we look for potential before qualifications or confidence or a polished CV. Around half of our team joined with little or no experience, some came through college placements like T Levels and job centres."

Through relationships with local colleges and partner organisations, the business provides supported placements, practical training, mentoring and routes into paid employment for people who may otherwise struggle to access opportunities.

Tom added:

"The Way In is not about lowering standards, it's about removing barriers to work, recognising ability and giving people the chance to prove what they can do and giving purpose to people who need it most."

This approach not only supports individual young people but also contributes to the development of a skilled local workforce, helping businesses access talent while creating positive outcomes for communities across Greater Manchester.