Inclusion in action: Welcoming young talent and championing EDI at Fairman Knight & Sons

Given that the average person spends 35 -40 hours per week at work, which is around 1,700-1,850 hours annually, and, over a typical 45- to 50-year career, roughly 84,000-90,000 hours on the job, creating an environment that welcomes people and helps them to thrive really should be a top priority.

This week, we’ve proudly been putting our commitment to creating exactly this kind of environment at Fairman Knight & Sons to the test by welcoming two students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School for a one-week work placement, offering a real-world view of working life, mentorship, and the confidence that comes with being part of a team. Not to mention a front row seat to the work being undertaken by the first generation of Insect Factory Operators, at the cutting edge of Black Soldier Fly biotech in the UK.

Championing EDI through everyday action

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) isn’t a box to tick. It’s something that shows up every day, in how we listen, how we communicate, and how we create opportunities for people to learn and contribute.

For us, championing EDI means opening doors early. When young people are given supportive, meaningful experiences of the workplace, it helps build confidence, broaden horizons, and make future career choices feel more possible.

Co-founder and CEO of Fairman Knight & Sons, Julian Knight – appointed as Chairman of Lincam Ceres Agri-Tech EDI Committee – said: “People do their best work when they feel respected, supported and able to be themselves – that is why EDI matters. This placement week is a simple but important way we can put that belief into real action, creating space for learning, questions and confidence-building in a real working environment.”

Welcoming two students from Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School

This week, we have had two students joining us on placement from Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School. One, Tienette Knight, daughter of co-founder Julian, and Elizabeth Crowe.

Led by Bodhi Hillyer-Knight, Business Development Lead at FKS – who is managing the placement week and guiding them through the experience, encouraging them to get involved, ask questions and build confidence through doing – this week Tienette and Elizabeth have been introduced to the day-to-day rhythms of a working office, the importance of teamwork, and the kind of skills that make a real difference in any role: communication, organisation, curiosity and confidence. With dyspraxia and dyslexia, Elizabeth was supported by Bodhi and team throughout the week to ensure her experience was tailored to be inclusive, accessible and enjoyable, taking any additional requirements into account. There is no one-fits-all approach to placements with FKS; playing to an individual’s strengths and passions is exactly what contributes to a stronger, happier workforce.

Bodhi, whose role overseeing Tienette and Elizabeth this week feeds into his own training for Team Leader Level 3 at Boston College, said of the experience: “My aim was to make the week feel welcoming and worthwhile, not intimidating. We want any students who visit us to ask questions, try things out, and leave feeling more confident about the workplace and what they might want to do in the future.”

Building confidence and investing in the next generation

Work placements can be a turning point. They offer a safe, supported way to explore the world of work, learn what different roles involve, and start imagining future possibilities.

From our perspective, supporting young people is also part of long-term business development: investing time, attention and encouragement in the next generation helps build stronger communities, stronger skills, and a stronger future workforce.

Local partnerships

Local partnerships – from those who supply our food waste to growers utilising our products – are incredibly important to how we operate, and that includes active collaborations with local schools and colleges.

Sally Macpherson, Assistant Headteacher, Post 16 Education and Welfare, and Careers Leader, at Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, added: “We feel that our students gain a great deal from work experience. We brief them on how to source it and how to get the best from it. We ask them to reflect on their experience and our CareerThread system has the opportunity for evaluation both by the employer and student after the placement. We have 168 students in this year group and all but a handful have gained a placement in a business or organisation this week, many travelling to attend. We endeavour to impress upon them the value of any contact with employers in terms of their skills, knowledge and for the purposes of networking to yield future opportunities. We have had students in the past invited to apply for apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships as a result of interaction with an employer on work experience. We are therefore intensely grateful for such opportunities for all of our students.”

The whole team at FKS is proud to play their part in helping young people gain workplace experience — and to continue building a culture where inclusion is practical, everyday and real. So, if you’re an educator interested in work placements, we’d love to explore how we can support students through meaningful workplace experiences – get in touch today!