Thanks to the generosity of a Sussex graduate, students in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology are being offered work experience in an innovative new scheme.

The Mason Hayes Charitable Trust Work Experience Scheme provides the opportunity for students to spend two to three days following a structured programme of activities and project work within a political or legal work environment.

Students may be placed with the legal division of a major corporate organisation, a Member of Parliament at Westminster, a barrister in chambers or a firm of solicitors.

To offer the new scheme, the Careers and Employability Centre is working with the Mason Hayes Charitable Trust. This was established by alumnus Marcus Hayes, who completed a BA in Law at Sussex in 1987, qualified as a solicitor in 1991 and is now managing director of Mason Hayes Solicitors, a commercial law firm with offices in Manchester and London.

Marcus was the first in his family to go to university and would now like to help other students in the School of Law, Politics and Sociology.

Priority is being given to current students whose parents have not been to university and mature entrants to higher education, with funding available for travel and accommodation being provided through the First Generation Scholars scheme jointly by the Widening Participation Team and the Careers and Employability Centre.

Students who take part will gain an insight into legal careers as well as the opportunity to interact with professionals in a particular field, to network and to make contacts that will help them in their career development.

All participating students will also complete a Sussex Plus e-CV ‘webfolio’ to enable them to record, reflect and showcase their personal development.

Marcus will be the guest of honour in the autumn at an awards ceremony, at which the students' achievements will be formally recognized.

Professor Stephen Shute, Head of the School of Law, Politics and Sociology, says: “Offering a broad range of high-quality internships to our students has been a major component of our strategy for the School of Law, Politics and Sociology since it came into being three years ago. This initiative forms one part of that.

“We are delighted to be working with the Careers and Employability Centre to pilot a First Generation Scholars scheme that will be rolled out more broadly across other professional areas in the future.”