Jul 22, 2026
News
For the past decade, the Bridge to Employment (BTE) program in High Wycombe has empowered hundreds of young people to discover their potential, develop confidence, and prepare for success in higher education, the workplace, and beyond. What began in 2016 as a partnership between Johnson & Johnson, Johnson & Johnson UK, Janssen, DePuy Synthes, Young Enterprise UK, Buckinghamshire New University (BNU), and Highcrest Academy has grown into a thriving program that has transformed lives across nine student cohorts.
Since its launch, BTE High Wycombe has engaged 244 students, supported by 135 mentors and leadership volunteers who have dedicated nearly 400 volunteer hours while delivering 153 learning sessions. The program’s long-term impact is reflected not only in participation, but in the success of its students:
Students have also emerged as leaders within their community. Across the program’s nine cohorts, eight participants have served as Head Boy or Head Girl, 11 have become Deputy Heads, and 21 students have participated in BTE’s Alliance Building & Training Session (ABTS).
The inaugural cohort included 50 Year 10 students from Highcrest Academy during the 2015–2016 school year. Throughout the three-year program, students developed essential academic, life, and workplace skills through academic tutoring, career coaching, work-readiness workshops, job shadowing, university visits, admissions support, and other hands-on learning experiences.
The program continued to grow beyond the original cohort, impacting students in many different areas of development through a variety of activities. One of the cohorts focused on helping participants become the best versions of themselves through individual development. These students learned how to introduce themselves professionally, work on their communication styles, prepare for interviews, write a CV and build their online professional presence through LinkedIn. Students participated in the “Brand Me” activity, which gave them a chance to present at Johnson & Johnson, using their experience with the program to tell their own success story.
The program has also catered to those who are interested in STEM focused careers. Students from each cohort have the chance to participate in the annual “Health Dilemma Project”, where participants work in teams to evaluate real-world public health challenges such as HIV and present plans to Johnson & Johnson. Students gain newfound confidence through this experience as many of them enter with doubts about public speaking, but they always manage to rise to the challenge and exceed expectations.
BTE High Wycombe has also established global connections, collaborating with several U.S. sites in 2024. In substitution of the annual ABTS, High Wycombe students connected with peers from BTE programs in Trenton, New Jersey, Atlanta, Georgia and Jacksonville, Florida to host a mini cross-site activity in Jacksonville. The experience included discussing cultural differences between attending school in the U.S. and UK, tours of the Bonner Institute and African American History around Jacksonville, a Johnson & Johnson vision tour where students learned how contact lenses are made, a successful escape room experience and more.
As BTE High Wycombe celebrates a decade of impact, the program’s legacy is measured not only by the numbers, but by the students whose lives have been transformed, the dedicated volunteers and considerate partners. The program continues to inspire young people to embrace new opportunities, expand their vision of what’s possible in the world and build the skills and confidence to shape their own futures.