Blaise joined our Startship course wanting to gain some new skills and knowledge to help assist him in gaining his first job after studying at college. Using some of the knowledge he gained on the course, Blaise was able to find employment shortly after finishing with us. Read all about it below!

What were you doing before you started the programme?
I had been at Sandwell College studying Business and IT before I started the course.

How did you find out about the training?
My Work Coach, Mary at Smethwick Job Centre, told me about the course. She suggested it would be a good course for me to do and I thought so too.

Why did you decide to join?
Because it was an opportunity to get some new skills and knowledge that would help me and improve my chances of getting a job. I also thought taking a Customer Service qualification as part of the course was relevant because this is an important part of so many jobs.

What did you think of the training? How did it help you?
The team activity at the start was a good ice breaker. My role was doing the camera work, which was a new experience for me. I enjoyed the training and thought that I picked things up and learned quickly. Job search skills were covered on the course including where to look for opportunities, compiling a CV and how to write cover letters which all helped me. It also helped to sharpen up skills that would help me in the future, such as my ability to communicate and working with people I don’t know.

Were there any barriers or obstacles you had to overcome?
Not really, I just did it! The most important thing was to try and find a job.

What are you doing now?
I’m employed as a Kickstart Community Support Worker with a charity called Handsworth Association of Schools. I like helping people, so I applied, had an interview and got the job! I think it’s a good first job for me to familiarise myself with the world of work.

What impact has the training had on your life?
It’s helped my ability to communicate with people and deliver customer service which I do in my job every day. The course helped me to get the job and what I learned was relevant to the role I obtained.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m coming up to half-way through my Kickstart placement and enjoying it. I carry out a variety of administrative tasks including working with spreadsheets, research and printing. I also work on a food bank. Companies donate food to us, and we store and bag it up for schools in the group. The schools take it from us and then distribute it to the families concerned.
I don’t have any plans as such for now. I’m going to complete my Kickstart placement and see what happens.

What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training but wasn’t sure?
I would say to do it. If you’re not working and you have time, you will learn new things and be productive with your time. It can open opportunities for you like it did for me.