Case Studies

Ricky steps into employment with the help of nextstep

Ricky, 25, was working as a night porter at a hotel but wasn’t happy:

“I was only doing that to get the money and my heart wasn’t in it. I’d worked in the retail sector before, in supermarkets and stores, and wanted to get back into that but couldn’t find anything.”

Ricky visited nextstep advisers in Coventry and received help with updating his CV, using the facilities to look for work, and making online applications.

Ricky found a job in just seven days and is now working at city centre superstore, IKEA.

Ricky said: “I applied for the IKEA job, had an induction session about four days later, then had a second interview just two days after that. It all happened in the space of about a week.

“I’m really happy here and the service I received from nextstep was great. I wouldn’t have this job if it wasn’t for them.”

Help with application form lands Sharon a new job

Sharon says that free advice and support from the nextstep service in Coventry has helped her to change jobs and take up a much more interesting position with far better prospects.

She said advisers at nextstep had given her valuable help and advice on interview techniques and in filling out the application form for her new job as an administration assistant.

The 32-year-old mum from Coventry, had spent 10 years in administration but decided she wanted a change. She said: “I had already found the job advert myself, through the jobs pages in the Evening Telegraph, but I needed a bit of extra help in filling out the forms. The nextstep staff were extremely helpful and gave me all the reassurance I needed.

"I would strongly advise as many people as possible to use the service, all the advice is free. Now I have a job in which I can progress and move forward – which is a much greater challenge.”

Making his mark

Redundancy could knock the confidence out of anyone but one Coventry man has found the motivation to get right back into the workforce.

Mark was working in sales before he was made redundant last December.

But the 22-year-old found the courage to approach nextstep advisers in Coventry and make the next move.

Mark said: “I was feeling down because I spent a long time applying for jobs with no luck. I was getting rejections or just not hearing anything back from applications.”

Mark had taken a varied career path since leaving school six years ago. After studying catering and hospitality at college, he worked in various pubs, bars and hotels across the region.

He said: “I wanted to try something new while making use of my customer service skills, but needed advice about how to write an effective CV.”

At the nextstep centre, he received CV and careers advice, assistance in writing letters, and was able to search for vacancies online.

Mark said: “It gave me the boost I needed and every time I walked into the centre they helped me. I started applying for jobs I would never have heard about otherwise.”

And three months after being made redundant, Mark took up a full-time position as a sales assistant at the Odeon.

He said: “I am now hoping to work up the career ladder. I am really enjoying it and my aim is to become a manager.”

Amil from Birmingham is one of the many people that have benefited from nextstep advice services.

Amil says:

“When I initially came to the nextstep service, I didn’t know if I would be wasting my time – I was getting nowhere and was still unsure as to what kind of a job I wanted.

I am so glad I came to nextstep I now know what kinds of jobs to apply for and what jobs suit me, I have had help with finding the right job for me, applying for jobs, filling in the application forms, and CV writing.

The staff have been excellent, they really care about helping you, and you actually feel like you are getting somewhere. Thank you, nextstep team, for opening my eyes again and bringing me back to life!”

Birmingham-born Faheema Bhattay is one of thousands of people benefiting from the Adult Learning Grant (ALG).

Faheema, 24, wasn’t interested in further education and had no career plans after her GCSEs, happy to work as an examinations officer at the local school. But then she got married aged 22 and her accountant husband persuaded her that education would be the key to finding satisfying work.

With £30 a week through the ALG she was able to buy all the books she needed for her English Language and Literacy A-Levels and it also gave her a hand in her daily commute from Erdington to Leicester College where she studied.

Faheema said: “After I finished my GCSEs I found a job as an examinations officer. I felt I could carry on doing this but then I got married and my husband, who’s an accountant, convinced me than getting an education was important if I wanted an enjoyable job. So at first I began my A-levels for the sake of it. But the excellent teaching at Leicester College really motivated me and now I’m predicted three A/Bs and have been conditionally accepted at Leicester University. From there it will be a PGCE and then I want to be a teacher.”

“The £30 a week through the Adult Learning Grant has been so useful and has really helped me out. Two of my A-levels were in English Language and English Literature so you need to buy lots of books. The money has been a really big help.”

Self-employment has given Sally from Staffordshire the opportunity to get her life back on track after a road accident left her with a fractured skull and, subsequently, the first signs of epilepsy.

The Stafford-based entrepreneur, a former radiographer, struggled to get back into her career after her long recovery and, after a series of setbacks and disappointments, began to struggle with depression and a lack of confidence.

After visiting nextstep advisers Sally was referred to an organisation that specialised in helping people get back to work.

“The support I received was fantastic and convinced me that my passion for sewing could lead to setting up my own business. Naturally, this was a big step, but there was so much help out there that it made the decision a little easier, including support in disability resettlement and a host of courses aimed at equipping me with the skills I needed. I even secured a NVQ Level 3 in Business Start-up during the process.”

Backed by assistance from a business enterprise support organisation Sally launched ‘Sew and So’, which specialises in dressmaking, alterations and costume making for schools, theatre groups and private clients.

She has also diversified into making dressed teddy bears for special occasions, such as weddings, anniversaries and sporting occasions.

“Business is going really well and I’m now in the process of building on recent work from local ballet schools, not to mention a special commission I received from a charity to make costumes for a play at a local school.” added Sally, who is also looking at exploiting the power of e-bay to sell her range of teddies.

“Being my own boss gives me fantastic flexibility, something that is important when bringing up my 14 year-old daughter. It has also boosted my confidence to try new things and interact with people more, which was something I struggled with after the accident.”