Driving positive outcomes as Enterprise Mobility meets Purpose Lab students

Jobs for life. Colourful cars on campus. Connecting with cheerleaders.

These were just some of the topics covered when students from the Purpose Lab Ambassador programme got together with one of the world’s largest transport providers – and one of the UK’s biggest graduate recruiters - to learn how Enterprise Mobility attracts and retains top talent and share their views on how the business might further connect with students.

With an annual revenue of over $38bn, 90,000 global team members in 90 countries and 9,500 global rental branches, Enterprise Mobility is well placed to offer opportunity. But there is work to do in communicating this potential to students.

The session, led by Clare Beynon, Talent Acquisition Marketing Manager, and Louise Taylor, Talent Acquisition Marketing Specialist for the Northeast, examined how Enterprise Mobility breaks down barriers – some real, some perceived – at universities across the country. The conversation began by dispelling the myth that Enterprise Mobility is ‘just’ a car rental company. Of course it has rental businesses in towns, cities, stations and airports across the world, offering anything from a three-door hatchback to a Lamborghini. But it also has contracts with major insurance companies to provide vehicles in the case of accidents, offers short- and long-term business leasing of vans and lorries, including to supermarkets, and works with the NHS and the police.

In its more than six decades of operation, Enterprise Mobility has grown from a car rental company to a powerhouse provider of wide-ranging mobility solutions. The organisation is keen to share this history with university audiences to attract top talent regardless of background. That’s where the Purpose Lab programme comes in, introducing purpose-led businesses to students who want to learn more about their ethos, while enabling companies to hear directly from students about what is important to them.

Enterprise Mobility ran a double session, indicating participants’ high level of interest in the company. The first session provided background on the business, with a focus on career pathways. Its graduate programme offers placements across the business in areas such as HR, marketing or public affairs. It also offers paid internships, including shorter summer internships for those who can only consider short periods of work experience.

Enterprise Mobility connects with students primarily through its Campus Brand Ambassador Programme, which operates at 60 universities. Ambassadors act as mini recruiters, helping to engage students who might not normally interact with the company - including societies like cheerleading and netball – and fast-tracking those who are particularly interested. They also work with university careers teams to deliver employability workshops. Enterprise Mobility is keen to emphasise that lots of degrees are a good fit for successful careers.

The second session gave participants the chance to provide feedback on what they heard. Many participants wanted to explore opportunities for development which include mentoring, networking and leadership programmes. Others suggested ideas for higher brand recognition on campus, including those colourful cars. Additional topics in the second session included adjustments for those with disability or neurodivergent issues, or those with family and caring responsibilities who were interested in flexible working and part-time work. Finally, some were interested in becoming Campus Brand Ambassadors at their own universities. 

After two constructive sessions, our student ambassadors learned a lot about Enterprise Mobility and what a future career might look like, while Enterprise Mobility benefitted from the real-world experiences and perspectives of participants. It was a fantastic example of how partnership drives positive outcomes.