Due to the pandemic having an effect on how teaching needs to be delivered, Matthew found himself unemployed and in need of a change. Having previously considered working in the Civil Service, Matthew was encouraged to join the course by his Work Coach, and thought it would be a good opportunity to develop new skills. Having gained some much-needed confidence, Matthew now works as a Specialist Banking Agent, and is already looking at what other opportunities the company may offer! Best of luck Matthew!

What were you doing before you started the programme?
I’m an experienced Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, mostly supporting professionals in employment and young adults. This included a period working in Russia. Everything moved online during Covid, and there was a need to adapt to new technology to make the teaching effective. I was unemployed before joining the course.

How did you find out about the training?
Through a notification to my Universal Credit journal. I spoke to my Work Coach, Raj at Molineux House Job Centre in Wolverhampton about the course who encouraged me to take part.

Why did you decide to join?
The course presented an opportunity to learn new skills to help me apply for Civil Service roles. I was looking to broaden and diversify the type of jobs I was searching for. I had considered this line of work previously, but the application processes involved were baffling, so taking the course was a way to help me through what felt like a minefield.

What did you think of the training? How did it help you?
The training was conducted in a relaxed atmosphere and was very informative. It gave me a good knowledge of customer service in general, and the information I needed to apply for Civil Service positions. I gained confidence with the remote interview side of the process. I had not experienced this before but was more confident after benefitting from the coaching in it. I had two interviews while on programme with the Ministry of Justice, and DWP respectively. Although I was not successful with either they were good experiences for what was to come.

Were there any barriers or obstacles you had to overcome?
The main barrier was building my confidence up again. I had been applying for work for a long time and experienced a lot of knockbacks. After the course, I had more success getting interviews than before.

What are you doing now?
I’m employed as a Specialist Banking Agent with HSBC UK in Birmingham. It’s a hybrid call centre role, helping vulnerable customers of the bank with their everyday banking needs. I would say there is a need to be more patient in this role compared with more general customer service roles at the bank. Agents need to provide a ‘level up’ in terms of advice and guidance and have the ability when needed to make judgement calls based on how customers answer.

What impact has the training had on your life?
The main impact the training had was to build my confidence when applying for work again. It also gave me more interview confidence, which was important when it came to getting the job I obtained.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m enjoying my new job and am focused on it. From what I can see, there are some interesting opportunities across the bank, more than I thought possible, so who knows what the longer-term future might hold.

What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training but wasn’t sure?
Absolutely do it! When you’re unemployed, it’s important to keep yourself busy at the very least. The course will also help you develop skills that will make you more attractive to potential employers.