Mark joined our Civil Service programme and has since gained employment following the course. He has credited the course for giving him some structure whilst keeping his CV up to date, which he felt gave him an edge in the job market. We would like to wish Mark all the luck moving forward in his new position!

What were you doing before you started the programme?
I’ve been involved in engineering occupations all of my life. I started off with an apprenticeship and progressed to employment in aerospace and working at a chemical plant. I did this for 36 years until I was made redundant during the fallout from Covid-19 and was unemployed before starting the course.

How did you find out about the training?
My Work Coach, Joanne, told me about the training and explained she thought I would benefit from participating in the course.

Why did you decide to join?
I was bored being out of work and wanted something to fill the time. I thought the course would be a constructive use of my time. It was also something positive to put on my CV. With the training being online it also offered flexibility.

What did you think of the training? How did it help you?
The training was a good experience. It was intense at times, informative and occupied my time in a positive way. It has helped me to notice customer skills in everyday life more. I have a better understanding of customer service delivery which will help me in my new role. I will be travelling to a lot of different sites, visiting customers working on civil engineering projects. I was comfortable with the process of learning online, as I had used Teams quite a lot in the past.

Were there any barriers or obstacles you had to overcome?
No, my focus was just on finding a job. I am generally a confident person, but I think the course will help me with the skills needed to manage a difficult situation better.

What are you doing now?
I’ve been employed by Instrument Tech as a Calibration Engineer. The role involves carrying out complex calibration procedures on units which ensure the safety of buildings and the materials used to construct them. One of the projects I’ll be working on is HS2.

What impact has the training had on your life?
It’s given me a better understanding of how customer service works and developed my confidence in working with people.

What are your plans for the future?
My focus is on my new role. I’m hoping it will provide me with employment to last me through to retirement. I like the hands-on aspect of this role.

What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training but wasn’t sure?
I would encourage anyone to do the training, it was challenging but a worthwhile course.