The Barclays ReadyToWork programme is a youth employability and entrepreneurship initiative targeting young people aged 18–35 from colleges and universities. Designed to equip participants with skills relevant both to formal employment and self-employment, the programme takes a practical approach to professional development — covering skills that are notably absent from most formal education curricula.
What the Programme Covers
ReadyToWork is structured around four modules delivered online via the Barclays portal, covering:
- Key skills of successful entrepreneurs — mindset, opportunity identification, and resilience
- How to set up and grow a business — planning, operations, and growth fundamentals
- Developing effective interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence — communication, teamwork, and professional relationships
- Personal financial management — budgeting, financial planning, and understanding the financial system
The programme takes five days to complete and awards certificates upon successful completion. A small number of participants are selected for internship opportunities with Barclays staff, alongside mentorship sessions organised through the bank.
How to Access It
At the time of this writing, the programme was being offered through two Nairobi-based partners. @iLabAfrica, the ICT Innovation and Development Centre at Strathmore University, was running facilitated sessions with the following intake dates: May (22nd–26th), June (26th–30th), July (24th–28th), and August 28th–September 1st. The course was also available online for those unable to attend in person.
Barclays additionally ran the same programme through C4DLab, the University of Nairobi’s Incubation and Innovation Lab — offering another entry point for participants based near or associated with the university.
Key takeaway: Programmes like ReadyToWork demonstrate the value of corporate–institution partnerships in youth skills development. The blended format — online content with optional facilitated sessions — makes it accessible to participants with different schedules and constraints.