Young people in East Ayrshire are exceeding expectations of local business owner, John McCulloch of Armour Home Improvements. Feedback from the young people and John is inspiring and illustrates the difference the WorkingRite progamme can make in these young peoples’ lives.
Dougie, who delivers the programme in East Ayrshire, caught up with John recently who said that what he likes about our programme is that the young people are all pre-vetted during the initial training which alongside the placement period allows him to make a decision on whether they will make good apprentices. He found it very beneficial that WorkingRite do the initial leg work to help businesses find the right employee. He also said that it was great to have the support of WorkingRite if any of the young people were struggling with anything and thought it was extremely helpful that during the initial part of the programme the young people completed training relevant to their role at Armour.
Over the last two and a half years, three young people have been placed with Armour Home Improvements and all have successfully secured apprenticeships.
Finlay was on the very first programme and gained an Apprenticeship in Glazing after a successful placement at Armour Home Improvements. He has now been there for 2½ years and completed his apprenticeship. He has seen his confidence steadily improve and the thing he enjoys the most at work is finishing the window trims. He likes the people he works he with and going to jobs all over Scotland. He said without our help he reckons he would be unemployed or doing something he didn’t like.
Jack started on the 2nd programme and he gained an Apprenticeship in Administration after a successful placement and has been there for 2 years. He has gained his Business Administration level 5, as well as lots of new skills including managing databases and building windows using IT Software. He recognises his communication has improved and can now drive and has his own car. Jack said he likes being trusted to run the office even though he is only 19 and recognises this is something he possibly wouldn’t get working somewhere else. He reckons he would be unemployed if not for the WorkingRite programme.
Callum was on the 3rd programme and gained an Apprenticeship in Warehousing and has been there for almost two years now. He has gained a Warehousing Level 5 through his apprenticeship and recognises his communication has improved dramatically. Calum enjoys his work and the people he works with, especially the banter. Outside work his biggest achievement was completing the KiltWalk for a cancer charity.
John said the boys have all exceeded his expectations over the past couple of years – Jack shows is initiative within the office by carrying out work that he hasn’t been asked to do and is extremely computer literate especially with any new systems they incorporate. Callum is great with customers and has turned out be a very confident young man especially around customers. Finlay delivers excellent quality within his work and picks things up extremely quickly. And all three young men say that if it wasn’t for WorkingRite they would quite possibly be unemployed or doing a job they didn’t like.