Can the right opportunity transform a young person’s future? Absolutely! Find out how Priya overcame barriers to secure full-time employment after taking part in the Engaging Potential employment and skills programme.
Priya, 19 from Kingswood, started on our Employment and Skills Programme in October 2024. After recently leaving a temporary, part-time job as a pharmacy assistant, Priya heard about the opportunity through her Works4Youth support officer, and felt it was the perfect way to prepare her for a job that better suited her.
Having previously struggled to maintain active employment due to a chronic pain condition, Priya was concerned with how she would be able to secure a meaningful job or apprenticeship on a part-time basis. She felt as though an office-based role would be more appropriate for her condition, and she was keen to explore various career paths that interested her, such as HR and marketing.
Throughout the skills development workshops, Priya was consistently engaged and demonstrated a strong commitment to learning. She was extremely interested and got involved in every task put in front of her, and her natural and friendly ability to connect with her peers contributed to a positive group environment. Over the course of the sessions, Priya developed these qualities, learning how to communicate confidently, in a professional way.
Exploring different career options, Priya became interested in apprenticeships and began to research roles within an office environment that might suit her. Whilst Priya still had some concerns surrounding the management of her pain condition, she continued to work on her self-confidence and networking abilities.
Priya was then matched with a 3-week, part-time work placement within the Communications team at NBT Southmead Hospital. Here, she worked on writing communications for the team, both internally and for their social media, wowing the team with her can-do attitude.
Priya felt her communication skills and confidence develop even further during her time at Southmead, and she was able to gain insight into a new department she could really see herself working in. She commented:
I didn’t really know what to expect from the communications department, I had never heard of it before…but it was really good. It opened my mind to communication roles in the future because I really enjoyed that work and it was quite amazing to see what they were doing.
After completing her work placement, Priya wasted no time applying for jobs using a new CV she developed during the skills workshops. Within 2 months, Priya had secured a job as an office assistant at TLT in the mortgage enforcement department. Not only is she enjoying the role and learning a lot, but she has been able to work full-time – something she was previously not sure she would be able to do. Priya attributes this not only to support provided by TLT but also her experience on the Employment and Skills Programme:
I feel like me doing the work placement at Southmead Hospital, that made me see what I was able to cope with because this time last year, I never thought I would be able to do a full-time job, but I am doing it and it’s going pretty well.
Ablaze went above and beyond…they were kind and supportive and helped provide the transportation costs which helped me be able to complete the work placement. I am very appreciative of Ablaze.
Most recently, Priya has accepted a position as a junior trustee for Ablaze. Being able to share her insights and experiences with the board will be extremely valuable for us at Ablaze and we are so pleased to have her. When asked how she felt about joining, she said:
I’m very grateful for the opportunity and surprised. I’m excited about being able to become a junior trustee and learn more about Ablaze and what goes on behind the scenes and learning to support them…to offer my own opinions and thoughts as someone who has completed an Ablaze programme.
We are incredibly proud of Priya’s achievements and look forward to working with her in the future.
