Before joining our Civil Service programme Selina had been unemployed, and had previously applied to the Civil Service but was unsuccessful. Her Work Coach recommended the course, saying it would be helpful for gaining employment within the Civil Service. Selina decided to join the course, and immediately found it to help, and has even gone on to gain employment within the DWP since finishing the course! Well done, Selina! Read on below for the full story!

What were you doing before you started the programme?
I was unemployed for around 4.5 years. I spent time being an at home mam to my young son.

How did you find out about the training?
The Job Centre gave me some suggestions about various courses available in different industries and also the Civil Service one.

Why did you decide to join?
I’d previously applied for Civil Service roles without success. I asked my Work Coach if they thought the course would help me and they indicated it would, so I joined.

What did you think of the training? How did it help you?
The training helped me me immensely. My end goal wasn’t Coaching & Mentoring but I really enjoyed this part too. The whole course brought me out of my shell after being quite isolated. The routine got my brain formalised and structured. I really put my all into the course and content and felt the benefits from doing this.

Were there any barriers or obstacles you had to overcome?
Overcoming talking to people in the early days was a challenge. Through the course, I came out of my shell, started to speak up and participate in discussions. This really helped in interviews and brought further confidence. I hadn’t studied for quite some time, so getting back into learning/education and being able to document information and assignments etc in an appropriate manner was really helpful.

What are you doing now?
I’ve got a job as a Work Coach with DWP.

What impact has the training had on your life?
The training has had a very positive impact on me. I felt sad at the end of the course because the daily structure had ended and I stopped applying for Civil Service roles for a while. I soon started to change my approach and started applying again, taking onboard the advice given by my tutor to not revert to how I was before the course.

What are your plans for the future?
I really want to continue in my new role and see how much I can develop myself, learn new information through the internal Civil Service courses available, and also possibly move forward in a few years, trying out new experiences.

What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training but wasn’t sure?
I’d say you should really try the training. The workshops that I attended really made me rethink my approach and for anyone hoping to work in the Civil Service they are everything. The Coaching & Mentoring element is fantastic to show you how to engage with others and the benefits this can bring. You’ll learn from your fellow learners about their experiences too, which makes you realise you’re all in it together with so much hope.