Creating Pathways Not Just Opportunities: Supporting Inclusive Routes into Sales Careers

At GoodFX we have three pillars of impact. Philanthropic giving, carbon neutrality, and career education. Here we celebrate the progress made on the latest initiative in career education GoodFX has convened. In the process shining a light on a wide group's efforts to widen access to skills, employment and long-term employment pathways.

We are currently 75% through a 12-week Sales Development Representative (SDR) training programme facilitated by The Launchpad Collective. Open to both traditionally overlooked and displaced people across the UK South Coast, this programme has brought together participants from a range of backgrounds and experiences who face barriers to entering commercial roles.

The progress has been encouraging. This blog is designed to share that good news, and thank those who have contributed their time and effort in this shared goal.

Programme Progress

The course is due to finish at the end of January. As we enter the last stages of the course, we are pleased to report that the ten participants have:

• Completed the programme to date

• Passed their second practical assessment

• Progressed to the final stage of the course

In the new year, participants will then be supported with:

• Building professional LinkedIn profiles

• Understanding how to approach SDR hiring managers and what they look for

• Interview preparation and assessment readiness

• Developing confidence to enter the commercial job market

To note, several participants are already showing strong potential for placement as the programme approaches completion.

Why This Matters

Access to sales and commercial roles remains uneven. Marginalised and displaced people often face additional barriers, including limited professional networks, unfamiliar recruitment processes and reduced access to training. As Sales is arguably one of the best vectors for social mobility, this is an obvious area for skills training to be deployed.

However, this is easier said than done. Taking a pragmatic approach, this programme focuses on practical skills, confidence and employability, helping participants prepare for real-world hiring environments and compete on equal footing. Significantly, the course is designed to measure skills levels before and after training; in the process providing participants tangible data to show potential employers.

Acknowledging the People Behind the Programme

The programme is facilitated by The Launchpad Collective and supported by industry professionals who have volunteered their time and expertise to assess and guide participants.

For the generous use of their time and wisdom, we’d like to thank:

• Harry Jones – Course Leader & Trainer

• Henry Clayton – Allego

• Becky Butler

• Cean Greer and Mark Bangs– Call Runnings

• Alisha Hustling – Vestd

  
  

Their contribution has supported learning, confidence-building and career readiness for participants across the cohort.

Looking Ahead

As the programme enters its final stage, the focus shifts to supporting participants into interviews and potential placements. We’re optimistic about what comes next and look forward to sharing further updates.

GoodFX is pleased to support initiatives like this as part of our wider commitment to ethical finance, social impact and inclusive employment - funding programmes that create access to opportunity for both marginalised and displaced people alike.