AS WELL AS passing on skills to their students, graduates accepted onto the Teach First programme also have many opportunities to develop their own skills. Computer scientists get the chance to work as interns at Google, for example, an experience that helps them bring their subject to life for students. Founded in 2002 by chief executive Brett Wigdortz, this London-based charity's mission is to address social disadvantage in education. It recruits talented individuals to teach in underprivileged areas and provides them with two years of employment-based training to become qualified educators and inspirational leaders. Employees admire Wigdortz's leadership, feeling they work somewhere that operates on strong values (86% positive score, fourth among mid-size organisations on our list) and sound moral principles (84%, sixth). The charity has continually expanded since its launch, and has added 37 staff since last year. There are now 506 employees spread across 11 centres in England and Wales, and they have signed up thousands of aspiring teachers. Its workforce is convinced that Teach First has a strong social conscience (90%, second) and says charitable activities are also encouraged (89%, fifth). Team spirit is generated among the widely dispersed offices through regular social events and a company-wide meeting, which is followed by a dinner and awards ceremony. People say they care for each other (83%, fifth) and colleagues are fun to work with (81%, eighth). www.teachfirst.org.uk
