Stacey is a winner of Springboard’s Fiona Colley Award. This award is for Springboard beneficiaries who have overcome significant barriers to employment and includes a development scholarship. Prior to the course, Stacey was struggling with depression and anxiety after the death of her mum. She was too scared to apply for jobs and had very low self confidence. She embarked on the Diageo Learning for Life course in Fife and with her Programme Manager’s support built up her confidence to apply for roles within the hospitality sector. She went on to work as a Bartender in the Wetherspoons in her hometown.

In the past 6 months, Sian has shocked and surprised time and time again with her resilience and determination. She has gone from a very shy, quiet helper to an outgoing, confident member of the team.

Sian was a Traineeship learner at the British Heart Foundation in Weston Super Mare. She joined slightly later than her peers and as a result was very nervous. Sian has some confidence issues and tends to worry a lot about getting things wrong; one big issue Sian has faced has been dealing with customers on the phone. This is something she was able to explain to her manager and it was agreed that she wouldn’t have to do that.

Sian has been able to overcome some of her confidence issues in order to help deal with customer problems, orders, admin duties and has been able to build strong working relationships with all departments. Sian was aware that this role would push her to interact with others more and although she was dreading it, took on the challenge.

The feedback received from Sian’s managers is always fantastic and they are always amazed at how she has pushed herself to achieve yet another milestone. Most recently this was to deal with customers on the telephone.Sian took the initiative to create a step by step plan on how she could build up to taking customer calls, this is an amazing achievement, as when we met Sian was adamant that she would never be able to do it!Less than two weeks after this I received an email from Sharon- Sian’s line manager to let me know that Sian had been taking calls!

Sian was also able to show personal strength when others around her were not working as hard or following the rules, Although she was friendly with them, she maintained her professional working ethic and refused to let her standards slip.

The courage Sian has shown in the past six months is outstanding and I feel that she will continue to grow within her role.

Since this case study was compiled, Sian went on to win National Learner of the Month with her Training Provider (Smart TAR) and has successfully gained an employed position with the British Heart Foundation.

Shay suffers from cerebral palsy and primarily uses his left hand for activities and his right hand as a stabiliser.

He has difficulty with coordination and he struggles crossing the midline of his body. An uneven gaits makes him very vulnerable in busy environments, as he could be knocked off balance. Having graduated from Project SEARCH, Shay has secured a role as Linen Porter in the property, which is a very active role and one his family never thought they would see him achieve.

Shay now mentors the current Project SEARCH interns and is an inspiration to all his colleagues in the department.

When Shay attended Hosting Make It Your Craft, he was the most involved participant and a shining example to all the others who attended.  Our trainer, who was unaware of his condition, commented that he was a credit to the hotel. Shay has never let his disability hinder him and he continues to drive for perfection in all that he does.

Ibukun is well liked, a focused and friendly person that understood from the offset what a great opportunity an apprenticeship at Accenture could be. He has worked very hard to achieve this goal and has all of the attributes that will enable him to succeed and have a fantastic career. He is truly a rising star.

Ibukun moved from Nigeria to London at the age of 7, later moving to Newcastle for secondary school. He grew up in the deprived area of battle-hill Wallsend, Newcastle upon Tyne as one of a few ethnic minority people in his area. Moving away from friends and family in London he struggled with his new surroundings experiencing isolation and anxiety throughout his school years.

Although he grew up speaking Yoruba and English, he struggled with communication and experienced some difficulties in understanding his peers and teachers. However, he overcame this and went on to complete his a-levels and attend university enrolling in a Maths degree.

Ibukun left university during the second year of his degree, unsure about his career prospects, he soon became interested in pursuing a career in technology. He was unemployed and receiving benefits when he was presented with the opportunity to enroll onto the Movement to Work Programme. He outshone all of the other participants in every area, his application to technical challenges and employability skills stood out.

He joined the Technology Apprenticeships Programme and is currently completing a degree in Digital and Technological Solutions and was recently promoted to New Associate level. He currently works within the cybersecurity team working on client data protection for HMRC and is working towards his CompTIA Security + certification.

Despite no prior experience in the technology field, he has gone from strength to strength. He was one of the first apprentices in his cohort to achieve a role and has always been very proactive, he has demonstrated professionalism and maturity which has impressed every manager and Capability Lead that has met him.

Since joining the security team, Ibukun has shown a work ethic well beyond his years and a willingness to support any work that comes his way. He has worked diligently and has made an impact in a very short space of time. He is a determined individual, with a passion for seeing work through to the highest standard. Not only does he give 100% in work, he helps his peers as a University rep once again proving his approachability and determination for helping others.

Outside of the day to day work, Ibukun makes a positive contribution as an Engagement Lead for the Technology Analyst Group Apprentices, he also works with our ‘Accent on Gender’ and ‘Accent on Ethnicity’ network groups. He goes above and beyond to support Accenture’s Outreach and Engagement Team by holding presentations, awareness days, and sharing his story‚ visiting various schools to help encourage young people and bring awareness to Accenture’s Apprenticeship Programme. He has also volunteered to help with our Engagement Programmes for the unemployed.

Paul’s passion for hospitality and the drinks industry, his ambitious, hardworking nature and desire to help people who would not normally be given the opportunity are clear to see.  This was evident throughout the Learning for Life course when his enthusiasm helped other graduates and also shows in his ambition to employ and train a team of people who have had less chance in life than others. 

He is currently setting up his own mobile/pop up bar company and has been extremely grateful for the business advice and information he has received through meetings with Diageo business contacts.  Paul has also been working in a busy Italian restaurant in Glasgow where he has further expanded his knowledge of wine, cocktails and coffee.

In October he completed the Diageo Alumni Ambassador training course, which will allow him to meet with and inspire other young people who are interested in progressing in the industry, as well as actively promoting the work of Diageo Learning for Life.  Paul has been involved in working at many VIP events organised by Diageo including various recent awards ceremonies, Michelle Obama event in Edinburgh and the recent session in Brussels. This event at Scotland House was an inspiration for Paul who was very impressed by the lectures which further fuelled his ambition to help others develop within the industry.   The feedback he receives from these events is always excellent.

Paul is from Romania and after studying Psychology at University there, he travelled to Ibiza and worked with various bars, private boat parties, music and social events – managing many events, the DJs, PR functions etc.  His determination and work ethic allowed him to take on many exciting opportunities.

After moving to Glasgow with his girlfriend Paul had a temporary job in a busy city centre bar and restaurant. When this came to an end and he found himself out of work, he applied and was accepted onto the Diageo Learning for Life Bartending and Hospitality Course. Paul was a fantastic student on the course and did well in every aspect of training – with a real interest in cocktails, spirits and wine. Paul always works hard to develop himself and excel in every area.  Paul really is a future star, a professional with ambition and real passion for our industry, making a difference to others and we can see great things ahead for him.  

Paul’s gratitude and thanks for everyone in Diageo Learning for Life and Springboard are made clear by Paul – often saying that the course has been one of the very best things that has happened in his life, that he could never have previously imagined that he would be given such opportunities and that the fact that the Learning for Life team genuinely care about people is truly appreciated.

As an ambassador for IBM and the Ignite program I have been nominated to attend and represent IBM at external events, the most prominent being my TV appearance on the WOW show. The show is an online platform designed to bridge the gap between industry experts and students looking for guidance on educational and career decisions. I was asked to attend as a Technology expert and during the live shooting of the show, shared my experience and answered any questions the students might have regarding careers in IT and technology.

My journey began when I started on the City Gateway traineeship and successfully gained a 5 week work placement on IBM’s ‘Ignite’ program. I was placed within IBM’s Brand and Communications team in the Marketing Department where the team focused on raising the profile of IBM in the UK & Ireland. My role was challenging and extremely varied and included a range of activities; supporting the Brand Systems, Internal Communications & External Relations teams. My day to day activities included the management of their social media channels, communication platforms, creation of social copy, newsletters and the filming and editing of presentational material.

My role and the support of my IBM team and mentors allowed me to gain experience working in a corporate environment, developing my skills, employability, building relationships and an extensive network of IBMers.

I received excellent feedback from both my team and the Ignite leadership over the course of my placement and my team were keen to find an opportunity to bring me on board on a paid placement.

Following the success of my placement and the professionalism and dedication that I demonstrated,  I was offered the chance to return to IBM for a year as part of the Futures programme,  returning to the Brand & Communications team replacing their current intern. During my Futures placement my role evolved and expanded and I demonstrated my skills and further gained the trust and respect of my team. This led to deeper and more challenging roles increasing the level of my responsibility in the team. I was successfully delivering the publishing and distribution of IBM UK’s internal newsletters, creation of infographics and images for communication platforms and collaboration with external agencies to release brand advertisements for different levels. My experience was life changing and I knew that IBM was where I wanted to be and I was keen to take on my next challenge.

After investigating the opportunities available internally I applied for an IBM apprenticeship in IX and was offered a fast track opportunity due to the success of my Ignite and Futures placements. I am currently on the Junior Management Consultant pathway and working as a PMO for the Virgin Money account. Ignite was a crucial step in achieving my apprenticeship and enabled me to lay a foundation which just over a year later is demonstrated in business results, skills, networking and career progression.

Since my graduation from the Ignite program I have made it a priority to have an active involvement in the program to share my experience and support the trainees in a variety of ways.

I have been involved in all the cohorts that have come after me and have been a mentor and a point of guidance for the trainees.

• delivered and facilitated communication skills sessions and presentational technique sessions
• acted as a mentor, providing guidance and working with the trainees to build and define their goals and milestones.
• Leading the Tech Badges session as part of the program on Cyber Security which involves guiding the trainees through an online interactive badge, facilitating discussion and supported by a presentational deck that I designed to supplement the badge.
• Represented Ignite both Internally and Externally, including presenting at Movement to Work quarterly meeting
• TV appearance on the WOW show.

I feel a sense of pride that my dedication to helping the trainees get the most out of their time in IBM has shown results and has been influential in two more trainees being given full-time roles in IBM.

To raise further visibility of the Ignite Program, every year an internal Ignite Launch Event is hosted in Southbank by the Ignite team. Prominent members of the scheme are invited to explain the Ignite program, what it is, and how we are supporting the program to tackle the problem of youth unemployment. I’ve been privileged to be invited to share my story and showcase the impact Ignite is having and gain wider support for the program. I’ve received amazing feedback from managers and attendees who have mentioned that my presentation had a big impact on their decision to get involved in the scheme and help make a difference.

I have also represented the program and the MTW Quarterly Employers Event earlier this year and gave a presentation showing the progress and improvement trainees can have once they go through the programme.

The IBM Ignite program is a fantastic initiative that over 200 trainees have now taken part in. I am proud to have been one of them and provide ongoing support for the program and I am excited to see the program grow and develop this year.

On GCSE results day, 16-year-old Jade was overcome with disappointment, passing just one GCSE. Finding out her results was the culmination of a school life that she’d rather forget. Low in self-confidence and regularly skipping lessons, Jade was an introvert at school who just didn’t enjoy the experience. Now, with disappointing results, she was unsure of where to turn next and what her future entailed.

On results day, she met a coach from the Bath Rugby Foundation, the charity of local Premiership Rugby club Bath Rugby. The coach informed her of HITZ, an education and employability programme by Premiership Rugby which supports 16-24-year-olds not in education, training or employment (NEET).

The programme allows young people who may have fallen out of the education system, like Jade, or have had a troubled upbringing, to use sport as an inspiration to gain valuable qualifications and work experience to get their lives back on track.

By September, Jade had enrolled in Bath Rugby’s HITZ programme and as well as committing to personal self-development, set about earning the English qualification she wanted. Having never played rugby before, HITZ also gave her a chance to try the sport and help form new friendships alongside her academic studies through the HITZ Learning Academy.

Quickly, Jade emerged as a real leader in her HITZ group, visibly growing in confidence and helping inspire others to progress and work hard. Complementing HITZ, she volunteered with the Bath Rugby Foundation before progressing to helping with mixed-ability rugby training sessions with local grassroots club Walcott Warriors.

Initially, Jade was shy, lacked confidence and did not put herself forward, but through volunteering her whole attitude to different scenarios completely changed, with new-found self-confidence. Through the sessions at Walcott Warriors, Jade met players from Bath Rugby Ladies, who invited her to training, and she is now signed up to play for the team.

Her new-found confidence translated into the classroom as she achieved her English qualification. Following her volunteering efforts, she has now been awarded a rugby coaching apprenticeship at the Bath Rugby Foundation, coaching future participants on the HITZ programme and wider Bath mixed-ability community teams.

Jade’s one-year transformation was commended by Premiership Rugby and as a result she was crowned the winner of the Rugby Ambassador Award, supported by Land Rover, at the HITZ Awards.

“The award has inspired me to work even harder and I now know that I can actually go somewhere in life. I’ve gone from being a kid with one GCSE from school to now being in the limelight with rugby, which feels amazing” said Jade.

There are many superlatives that I could use to describe Aaron Mould: Inspirational and outstanding are just two of them. Aaron was born and brought up in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. He was one of eight children to his mother Julie and his father Fredrick. Aaron described his childhood years as brilliant, being part of a loving family. However things started to change when his dad passed away when he was just eleven years old. It knocked his confidence and with no father figure to guide him he started to skip secondary school and then began to hang around with the wrong crowd. He started skipping school more and more thinking he knew best, he wasn’t thinking about his future and subsequently he didn’t bother to sit his GCSEs and left school with no qualifications.

After leaving school aged just 16 Aaron decided to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and join the army. Without realising it the odds were already stacked against Aaron, as statistics showed that around 80% of 16-18 year old’s leave the army in the first 12-weeks of training and 70% in the first 12 months. Aaron became another of those statistics and after leaving the army he tried a variety of jobs, but his heart wasn’t in any of them. So in between jobs, he would visit the Barrow job centre. It was on one of these visits that he was told about the Prince’s trust Get into Engineering – Movement to Work (MTW) programmes. Aaron made a decision that again was going to change his life – only this time by far for the better. 

Aaron was about to realise the dream of a lifetime for the majority of young adults past and present in Barrow and start a career with BAE Systems Submarines – Founded in the late 1800s until the present day, the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard has progressed, marked by change in ownership from the Barrow Shipbuilding Company, to Vickers, and now to BAE systems. In total, 373 merchant ships, 312 submarines and 148 naval surface ships have been built in Barrow-in-Furness for navies and companies across the world, including the majority of the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines. Barrow’s shipyard is considered a central provider of jobs in Cumbria. Recognising that they are the main employers, senior management made a pivotal and bespoke decision to offer onward apprenticeships to Movement to Work candidates who demonstrate a good work ethic throughout the 4-week MTW programme and show dedication, determination and true potential.

Aaron duly attended the Taster selection day and it was obvious that here was a young man who was going to grasp this opportunity. It was clear to see that he worked well with others in a team situation and he was caring of his peers on the day, as some were very nervous and he was very supportive even at this early stage of knowing them. During the 4-week Get into/MTW Engineering programme Aaron displayed a number of positive behaviors in both the classroom and on placement with the Welders. In class he worked hard to develop his employability skills in Interview techniques, CV, communication, teamwork and reliability evidenced by Aaron achieving 100% attendance for the 4-weeks.

Summing up his experience Aaron said “”I was so excited that I had gained a place on the course as the shipyard is the back bone of my home town and it felt like a massive achievement to get this opportunity with them. I was so scared that I wouldn’t be offered an apprenticeship and just end up in dead end jobs with no future. Luckily I was offered an apprenticeship and that was just what I needed to build a future with my girlfriend who is expecting our first child in July”. 

Aaron was assessed as an exceptional candidate during the 4-week MTW programme. He stayed focused, built on his existing life skills from the Army and did everything that was asked of him and more.  He was duly rewarded with the offer of an Apprenticeship at Furness College. In his first seven months he has been awarded Apprentice of the Month on two occasions. Aaron was presented with his award by the Managing Director of BAE Systems. An article about the award has been featured on the BAE internal web site. At the time of writing, Aaron is now in his 2nd year of Apprenticeship and has been selected to be a Counsellor to support new Apprentices and act as a spokesman for his peer group.

The impact of this achievement cannot be underestimated: Arron has already begun to build a solid future with his partner. They have rented a flat which they quickly decorated in time for the arrival of their first baby. They are both saving hard from their joint incomes for a mortgage to purchase a house.

Ruksana didn’t come from a particularly hard background, she always had the love and support from her family but was not necessarily able to offer guidance and clear direction on her future career path. Evidently a smart young lady, Ruksana finished secondary school with 10 GCSEs A-Cs, and 2 BTEC qualifications in Business and Critical Thinking. She then went on to study for her A Levels at Sixth Form, but it turned out after 3 months she felt this wasn’t the right path for her. On further and deep reflection, and recognising there were perhaps more appropriate learning environments for her, Ruksana decided to end her studies. She had spoken to her family, as well as her careers advisor at school, who referred her to a training centre where they would help and support in what the best next steps would be for her.

After completing a traineeship and work experience at Karin Housing for two months, Ruksana found an apprenticeship for a Business Administration Level 2 course at Metropolitan Housing Association. Ruksana was then kept on for a further six months after completing the one year course, however unfortunately, the entire team was made redundant due to business constraints. This knocked Ruksana’s confidence hugely. She felt that because she was still young, and had very little experience finding something else would be difficult. When applying for jobs, she found that employers were looking for people with more experience making it hard to get to the interview stage, or even a response. Ruksana felt demotivated and her confidence was still extremely low.

Without a job or being in education, Ruksana had no choice but to register at the Job Centre. Around three weeks later, she was then introduced to the Prince’s Trust – Get into Hospitality programme.

Working within the Hospitality sector wasn’t something Ruksana had ever considered before, and so when presented with the programme, she embraced the opportunity to learn something new. Despite being a clever young person, she was not getting the work opportunities to explore so the programme was enticing. During her first taster week at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, Ruksana valued the experience she gained in a 5* luxury hotel, however she knew operations was not the perfect place for her. Most of the initial work experience was ‘on the floor,’ whereas Ruksana wanted office/administration roles as she felt this better suited the direction she believed was right. It was difficult for her to share as she didn’t want to drop out of something for a second time.

Ruksana discussed her thoughts with her Prince’s Trust Mentor Yvonne Lawrence, and Jan Marshall at Marriott, who arranged at the last minute that she spend the remaining three weeks of the programme with the HR team St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. She did not expect this and was thrilled with the outcome. Ruksana knew she would not have had this chance anywhere else, and was very excited and grateful. During this time, she learnt about Marriott’s values, their recruitment system, shadowed interviews and assisted with HR processes. All were perfectly matched to her and she was inspired.

Before she finished her placement at St Pancras, she was offered a casual contract as their Human Resources Administrator. She was ecstatic and able to start working with longer term learnings and projects in mind. She assisted with compliance training and reporting, payroll and recruitment processes via a range of different systems. Ruksana began to own a number of projects, including associate recognition & wellbeing programmes, PT ambassador, associate appreciation week and organising food bank drops. Ruksana definitely grew in confidence massively every day.

Only two months after Ruksana had started at St Pancras, she had the opportunity to work directly with the General Manager, performing PA duties. Four months later Ruksana applied for, and was offered, a permanent Rooms Division Coordinator Role. This involved supporting the department heads in Housekeeping, Concierge, Guest Experience, Chambers, Spa and Front Office with their admin, finance and month end matters. This role is three days a week which allowed her to still work within the HR Department for the other 2 days. Six months later Ruksana was successful in obtaining another role as a Human Resources Coordinator a position she currently holds (at the time of writing).

After failing all four of his A levels, Matt sat down with his parents unclear what opportunities were now available to him. In the hope to make a change and find employment Matt signed up for his local Job Centre. After a few weeks Matt’s job coach suggested he attend the taster session of the Unilever Movement to Work scheme, simply to gain an insight into the range of career paths available. This one decision ended Matt’s uncertainty of what to do next and saw the start of a new and exciting career path!

Matt’s Taster Day

During the taster day Matt’s enthusiasm and attention to detail shone through and later that day was delighted to discover he has been accepted for a place on the programme. Charlie, soon to be Matt’s line manager, was impressed by his attitude to make a change as he had found himself in a similar situation after school and could relate. Charlie saw huge amounts of potential in Matt and was determined to assist him with having a fresh start.

Matt’s performance on the programme

Matt’s first day in the office was a blur but he took his roles and responsibilities in his stride. Over the four weeks he supported Charlie on the delivery of promotional plans in the deodorants team. This required the confidence of approaching employees in different functions to collaborate and ensure deadlines were met. Charlie was so impressed by Matt’s eagerness to learn that he extended the placement from four to six weeks.

When Matt was asked how he found the six weeks he explained “Absolutely amazing! Everyone is so happy to help, which I was surprised by such a big company. I know a lot of people say, ’No question is a stupid question’ but they actually mean it at Unilever”.

Matt’s impressive performance was reviewed as part of our end of placement calibration. In this session, it was highlighted that Matt was showing fantastic progression. Specifically, his bias for action, drive and ambition were called out as strengths. With this feedback, a recommendation was made for Matt to be fast-tracked to the Unilever Apprenticeship Assessment Centre.

On the day of the Assessment Centre, Matt’s confidence and experience from his time on the Movement to Work placement were evident. Matt was able to answer questions thoroughly and utilised real-life challenges and examples to bring his responses to life.

Matt commented “For the first time I really knew what I was talking about!”.

This was reflected in feedback from assessors across the board, who praised Matt’s ambition, pragmatism and ability to offer confident and strong responses. His performance was rewarded when Matt was one of four individuals offered a placement on our Business Administration Apprenticeship programme.

Beyond the programme

Prior to the apprenticeship starting the following March Unilever saw he was a talent not to be missed and Matt was offered a two month work contract which provided him with a real insight in to the range of roles at Unilever and the ability to expand his skill set further.
During the two months Matt spent his time developing a new system for our sales team, the U-Plan system which has been a key contributor to the teams success.

Journey into sustainable employment

Since starting the Business Administration Apprenticeship in March Matt has been a commercial executive on the Morrisons team and is an extremely valuable member of the team. He has shown resilience, perseverance and hard work which has enabled him to progress in such a short space of time. Matt works closely with Senior National Account Managers and Customer Director every day. Matt is showing great improvement week on week and will be a heavy contributor to what will be a very strong year for Morrisons.

Matt is a great example of the long-term career opportunities that are available to individuals. For Unilever UKI, being able to engage with and support young, talented individuals in their transition from education to employment is a key part of our talent agenda. We are committed to supporting more individuals like Matt in the future.