Business Support Traineeship
Learning about the right opportunities and taking advantage of them can change the course of one’s life. In a recent interview, we spoke to Obin, a young learner who participated in the Business Support Traineeship Programme. Obin found out about the programme through the government apprenticeship website and applied because he was looking for better career opportunities. He said, “I felt like I was ready to take those steps again, to (..) go back into education to maybe chase a more meaningful career for me personally”.
Before joining the programme, Obin had worked as a security officer at Heathrow and worked as a barista at cafes. He had his GCSE in English and Maths. However, Obin faced several barriers when he was growing up, including studying and living in rough environments. Furthermore, he struggled with social etiquette in the professional world and self-confidence. Despite the challenges, Obin found mentors in his life who helped him break down barriers. He also received guidance and counselling through a rehabilitation programme, which opened his eyes to the world’s opportunities, and this is when Obin decided to change his life.
Obin’s 3 goals and how he achieved them at LLC
When asked about his goals for joining the Business Support Traineeship Programme, Obin stated that he had three main goals. First, he wanted to fix his CV and learn what goes into creating a good one. Second, Obin wanted to gain certifications to prove his skills. Lastly, he wanted work experience in the tech field to build his confidence. He said, “I remember when I first saw the Business Support Traineeship programme, like the details, you’ll be able to learn with somebody what goes inside a CV, and I really wanted to learn that. Also, I felt like I’ve done a whole bunch of customer jobs, but I’ve never got anything certified. I wanted to have trained (in) this skill and I wanted to get that piece of evidence. And I wanted to go into something tech. I didn’t feel confident without some practical experience. So yeah, knowing that the course included work experience, (..) I wanted it as well”.
During the programme, Obin undertook several activities to achieve his goals. To fix his CV, he worked with his tutors who would ask questions and provide relatable examples and instant feedback. He said “The tutors would provide actual case examples that were relatable, and then they would always try to ask us: “So what do you think? What would you do? They would always be like moments where they wouldn’t just give the answer straight away, they would be like, OK, in this moment how would you react? How would you think?” And it made me feel really engaged. Because it was like they really were trying to figure me out and the best second part would be the instant feedback”.
Obin’s experience with the traineeship programme was very positive!
He learned essential skills that he could apply to the workforce, such as how to create a good CV and gain confidence in his abilities. He achieved the following qualifications: Customer Service, Employability, and Digital Skills, he already had his English and Maths qualifications. The traineeship programme was instrumental in helping him build a successful career and improve his quality of life. He said “I just have more confidence in myself because I’ve done this process of diving outside my comfort zone more than enough. But in those conversations, like our daily meetings and stuff like that, they’re always asking questions to each other to people that are not (..) just the software engineers. So that’s like mirroring exactly what (we) had in the classrooms with Martha and with Amanda”.
Career Progression after the Traineeship Programme
After completing the Business Support Traineeship programme Obin went on to do a three-month boot camp in coding and a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Software Engineer. He is now proficient in coding and understanding the engineering toolkit. Obin’s original goal was to dive out of his comfort zone to learn whatever necessary skillset or technological language, which he has more than achieved. When asked what he considered to be the biggest benefit of the Business Support Programme he said: “I would say being able to work on your confidence, your self-esteem, that was the biggest thing because I feel like just having that mindset of there is an opportunity for me (…) and I can succeed in that opportunity just knowing that really lets you put your eyes on the target and know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.”
The interviewee’s story serves as a reminder that everyone has the potential to succeed, and all they need is the right opportunity and guidance to help them achieve their goals. With programmes like the Business Support Traineeship Programme, young people can learn valuable skills and gain work experience, ultimately opening a world of opportunities for them.
