A promising young solicitor says she feels “honoured” at being named the first Ambassador of the High Tide Foundation, recognising her work supporting students to gain meaningful work placement opportunities and careers advice across Teesside.
Emily Skillcorn, of Jacksons Law Firm, has been supporting the High Tide Foundation’s mission to stop the ‘brain drain’ from Teesside by giving young people access to careers advice and activities from inspirational industry leaders and businesspeople across the region.
The Associate Solicitor, who works in the firm’s litigation team and heads up equine law services, has been involved with the High Tide Foundation since she first became a trainee at Jacksons in 2020, while the firm itself is a longstanding corporate patron of the charity.
Now, Emily has been recognised in a special graduation ceremony, as the charity’s first official Ambassador.
Emily said: “It was a massive surprise to be named as the charity’s first Ambassador and a genuine honour.
“It also feels right, because I feel so strongly about the work the High Tide Foundation does – and the people who work there are incredible.
“After getting this honour, I feel like Jacksons can offer more to them and as I manage our work experience programme, I’m doing a bit more outreach work with schools and I’m looking forward to continuing the partnership both I and Jacksons have with High Tide.”
Emily is also encouraging other businesses to get involved with the charity, which is teaching young people that they don’t need to move to a big city to have exciting career opportunities – as there are lots available right here on Teesside.
She says: “Even if you can’t offer weeks of placements, you can look at doing workshops at a school or go out and speak to students about your career.”
The charity also has a wide range of careers advice and programmes available online, so those who don’t have time to travel to schools can still get involved.
Emily believes she is the “right person” to take High Tide forward as an ambassador, because the value it provides is “so obvious” to her.
“I had parents who gave me everything but some of the students we work with don’t necessarily have a strong support network – and it’s a sad fact that the Tees Valley on the whole is disadvantaged,” she says.
“However, the work that High Tide does has also highlighted to me how many incredible businesses we have got here and their willingness to be involved in inspiring the next generation of talent across the region.
“Some of the students we work with are the first generation in their families to go into further education and may have the belief that if they want anything in life, they have to leave the Tees Valley and move away to a city – but the High Tide Foundation is changing that perception.”
Emily finds it very rewarding seeing students who have no intention of doing anything academic change their minds and perceptions when they get involved with the High Tide Foundation.
“The charity shows them the different job roles they could have – and they can then get excited about what they need to do to get there,” she says.
“The important thing that High Tide does is to instil a bit of self-belief and expose people to what incredible opportunities we have on Teesside – it really opens their eyes.”
Speaking of the misconception that you have to leave Teesside to get a good job, Emily adds: “It’s sad for the individual but it’s also bad for the economy – and it’s inaccurate!
“At the graduation event, I met a group of students who all want to be under water welders now, because they have had that experience with one of the maritime companies – and they didn’t know previously that you could get that job here on Teesside.
“This shows how important High Tide’s work is – and that it’s not just about being a lawyer or working in an office, but a wide range of diverse career opportunities that are available here.”
Lauren Bywater, general manager at the High Tide Foundation, said while the charity is now lucky enough to have many wide-ranging businesses involved in its work, it was “especially touching when individuals like Emily show such passion and dedication” to the cause.
“She never says no to any request for support, giving her time, knowledge, advice, and expertise to hundreds of our young people over the years,” Lauren says.
“The High Tide team felt it was important to recognise individuals like Emily in their own right, as her contributions to the charity have been incredibly valuable.
“This led to the creation of a specific role for people like her, and thus the Ambassador role was born.
“It has been an honour to appoint Emily as our very first High Tide Ambassador, and we are confident she will set an exceptionally high standard.”
Toby Joel, partner and head of the litigation team, said: “We are extremely pleased to continue our work with the High Tide Foundation.
“We are delighted for Emily, whose hard work for the High Tide Foundation since she was a trainee at the firm has proved so valuable to other young people. Through her appointment as Ambassador the hard work that she continues to do for the charity has been recognised.”
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