COMMERCIAL law firm Muckle LLP has teamed up with education tech business globalbridge in a bid to attract a more diverse range of talent into the industry.

The North-East law firm hopes to break down barriers to entering the legal profession and comes after it helped to establish the UK’s first regional solicitor apprenticeship scheme in 2017.

Newcastle-based globalbridge is an online platform that operates like a hybrid of Facebook and LinkedIn for education.

It enables students to showcase their talents directly to the worlds of business, further and higher education.

Rather than just uploading academic achievements, they can add artwork, musical recitals, videos, images, animations and soundbites to support their search for potential employers and universities. They can also identify their career aspirations and preferred routes into employment, such as apprenticeships and graduate schemes.

globalbridge founder Ben Mason, a former teacher at Emmanuel College and Durham School who features in the current Sunday Times top 100 entrepreneurs list, said: “We are delighted that Muckle has chosen to partner with us and it is fantastic to have a such a successful and forward thinking law firm on board.

“We have just completed a webinar with Muckle that reached 240 students across six schools, and it shows how useful digital platforms can be in supporting student pathways and employer engagements, particularly when time, travel and environmental constraints or unforeseen events restrict face-to-face meetings.

“Throughout my teaching career, I became increasingly aware of the disconnect between industry and education.

“It’s not all about grades and this platform gives young people the chance to showcase their additional skills and talents, whether that be their artistic, creative or sporting interests.

“There are many, many barriers to young people finding work experience and careers they want to develop in, and industry has real problems sourcing talent for the future. I wanted to overcome these obstacles and create mutually beneficial relationships linking firms seeking talent and young people facing that first step on the career ladder.

“By its very nature, globalbridge is open to every young person, every business, school, college and university. Talent is for everyone and opportunities are everywhere.

“Fixing the talent divide is something that is very real and no one can dispute that. We’ve presented to the Houses of Commons and Lords, and there is no doubt that we are in serious need to bridge this very serious gap between industry and education.”

Muckle's HR director Nicola Leyden said the partnership is an opportunity to connect with more students and aspiring solicitors and share what is great about the profession.