Member Article

Mum-of-four secures first job in 15 years thanks to back-to-work scheme

Joanne McTeer is the latest jobseeker to benefit from the Team Valley-based Access Training course designed to help the unemployed back into work, after being unemployed for 15 years.

Joanne, 34, who had taken a break from full-time work to raise her four children, referred herself to Team Valley-based Access Training and enrolled on an IT & employability course.

In just seven weeks, Joanne secured a position in the shoe department at its MetroCentre store.

Joanne said: “Returning to work after such a long period of time is extremely daunting and it’s easy to be put off going for interviews because of a lack of confidence.

“I had decided that with all my children at school, it was the right time to go back to work but I just wasn’t prepared for the interview process and was being turned down for jobs because I wasn’t able to get across my skills and attributes in the right way.

“The Access Training course really helped, and the difference between my first and second interview at Primark shows that the skills I learned were invaluable in helping me to succeed at interview and secure employment.”

The seven-week-long course covers writing and tailoring a CV, provides learners with a dedicated Jobmatch account, a personal email account, mock interview experience and equips them with the skills and knowledge to search and apply for jobs online.

Barbara Anderson, Joanne’s trainer at Access Training, said: “Knowing where and how to search and apply for a job and having a strong CV, coupled with the confidence to really sell your skills and strengths, is essential and really helped Joanne secure her position at Primark.”

For further information on the IT & employability course, visit: www.accesstraining.org/short-courses

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Jodie Balmer .