Leaving college can be an exciting time, but it can also be challenging when you’re trying to take your first steps into employment.

At 18 years old, one of our participants joined Rotherham United Community Trust’s Employability programme looking for support to find work and gain experience. He was motivated and eager to get started, but like many young people, he faced a number of barriers. Many training and development opportunities weren’t available to someone his age, and with limited work experience, it was difficult to stand out to employers.

Working alongside our Economy team, we explored a range of volunteering opportunities that could help him build his experience and confidence. Although several applications were submitted, unfortunately none led to opportunities.

Rather than letting those setbacks knock his confidence, we looked at other ways to help him continue developing his skills. Knowing his interests, we supported him to enrol on a Game Academy course, helping him stay engaged, learn something new, and continue building towards his future goals.

He also attended our Jobs Club sessions, where we worked together on job searching, applications and interview preparation. When he secured an interview for a Pharmacy Assistant Apprenticeship, we spent time helping him prepare, talking through potential interview questions and helping him think of questions to ask the interviewer too.

Soon after, he was invited to complete a trial shift. He impressed the employer, performed well throughout the trial, and was offered the apprenticeship, starting work the following week.

Today, he is thriving in his role as a Pharmacy Assistant Apprentice and is already thinking about how he can continue progressing his qualifications and career in the future.

His journey is a fantastic example of what can happen when determination is matched with the right support. Despite facing challenges and setbacks along the way, he remained committed to his goals and took every opportunity to learn and develop.

At RUCT, we’re proud to support local people as they build confidence, gain skills and take positive steps towards employment, education and training. Stories like this remind us why that support matters and the real difference it can make in helping people achieve their potential.

To find out more information about what our Employability team offer, email daisy.pollock@ruct.co.uk.