Worktree’s First Job pilot for 14-15-year olds has been successful. Of 40 applications received, 11 students from three MK secondary schools took up paid part-time jobs with three MK employers during their summer holidays. Maisie’s Schoolwear, D.O.T.S. Chiropractic and Big Voice Ltd.
The schools were: Lord Grey Academy, St. Paul’s Catholic School and Stantonbury School.
Following online applications and interviews, and employability training led by Worktree’s Michelle Theuma at MK:U Innovation Hub in CMK (feedback below), the students began work at the beginning of August.
The students worked on average 5 hours per day for 8 days for £233 each, and student feedback ratings were positive:
- 86% enjoyment
- 87% learning from the experience
- 95% increase in my confidence as a worker.
When asked what they enjoyed most about their First Job experience, students commented:
- Getting used to a work environment
- Serving customers
- Creating Pinterest content
- Helping others and working with the other people working there
- Interacting with the customers
- Helping customers and improving my social skills
- Learning about chiropractic
- Serving customers
- Helping people
- Speaking to the customers and helping them
- Helping of customers.
Kevin Sparks, Director of Big Voice, said: “From submitting an application through to hiring, the entire process was effortless. We had the pleasure of working with a young lady who was enthusiastic and open to learning which was great to see. She offered your thoughts on matters, giving us a different perspective in turn helping us also learn. All in all a great experience and wonderful to help a young person with their first job.”
Another employer, D.O.T.S Chiropractic, said of their student: “He gave tours to our new patients, which he learnt very quickly. He also designed and uploaded social media posts for us amongst other day to day office tasks. He has been very punctual and has shown a lot of interest in Chiropractic and how to go about becoming a Chiropractor. He has shown a good attitude to tasks and has been very respectful.”
If you are an employer who would like to join the scheme, helping young people to get on with work, please contact tom.bulman@worktree.org.
The First Job Training
Five students attended the 2-hour training session on 1st August, and reported afterwards:
- 92% enjoyment
- 84% usefulness
- 84% increase in confidence about how to succeed on my first day at work.
When asked what they enjoyed most about the training:
- How there were other young people there who could help assist with answers and ask questions I may not have thought of.
- Group discussions
- The people that was there and Michele did an amazing job at answering all my questions and making the space really friendly and non-judgemental
- Getting an idea of how the first day of working would be like and the task we did when saying what was appropriate and what was inappropriate to say to a coworker.
What could have been better:
- Nothing
- If the A/C was working
- Maybe if there were more people to see their opinions but it was perfect anyway
- I learned most of it at school before
- Perhaps the session would’ve been better if we did more practical work or tasks rather then just sitting and talking.
We plan to seek additional employers for an extension of the First Job project so we can offer new opportunities for the many 14-15-year-olds who want to work alongside their school studies. For more information, see https://worktree.org/first-job/.
Thanks to David Novell, Licensing Officer at MK City Council, for providing advice and support for the pilot.
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