Would you write someone off for lack of experience without looking at what they can offer?
In our last article, we talked about how incredible
it can be to recruit young people into your
organisation. I have had extremely positive
experiences through giving opportunities to
young people, and it is so rewarding to see them
thrive as a result. By giving them room to grow,
they can develop and become the talent that you
might be missing within your business.
Last time, I introduced you to Bradley, Liiift’s
Content Creator and Designer. Bradley has gone
from strength to strength and is an integral part of
our team, but he isn’t the only member of the Liiift
team who joined us in a similar way. I’d therefore
like to introduce you to Dexter, Liiift’s Business
Support and Web Development Officer.
Dexter joined us on the Kickstart programme, which
was introduced by the government to support
young people into work by securing 6-month paid
work placements with businesses willing to support
them and help them develop.
Our involvement with Kickstart saw us support 43
young people into work, and of those candidates,
77% had a positive outcome at the end of their
placement, meaning they were no longer out of
work.
One such candidate was Dexter. Prior to being accepted on Kickstart, Dexter had been out of work for several years. With aspirations of working in web development, and specifically coding, he had enrolled on a course to develop these skills further. Unfortunately for Dexter, he was unable to secure employment in this field due to his lack of experience.
When Dexter joined us, he excelled, going above and beyond. He quickly displayed his aptitude for reporting and web design, and he was eager to learn and personally develop.
When his Kickstart placement ended, I gladly offered him
permanent employment, a decision I had made
very early into his placement. I also made the
decision to invest in him personally, by finding a
suitable apprenticeship in Software Development
that would provide on-the-job training relevant
to his position in Liiift. As a result, Dexter is now
responsible for monitoring and updating our
website, as well as providing similar support to our
clients.
Dexter says, “I’d always had a good mind for tech, but without the experience behind me it would be almost impossible to break into the field. I was disheartened about the future, as I knew that I needed a job that would challenge me. Meeting Dawn through Kickstart meant that I was able to demonstrate that what I lacked in qualifications, I made up for with passion and skill. Now I’m studying an apprenticeship and can really develop my skills. Dawn has been instrumental in my development; she has given me confidence and trusted me, but most importantly she has given me the opportunity to grow”.
As Dexter says, being given the opportunity to
grow has been imperative to his personal and
professional development.
If you’re a business looking to recruit
young people and encourage their
growth or develop your staff through
apprenticeships or other means of
formal training, then Liiift are on hand
to support you through the process.
0151 268 0088
hello@liiift.co.uk
www.liiift.co.uk
Dawn Tolcher
