I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me. Fortunately for you though, I’m back!
Have you missed me? It’s okay, I would too. But enough about me! As you can see
by the title of this post, this is another success story. Buckle in whilst I tell you all
about our very special, Peter “Big Pete” Tidswell.
Like always, we’re going to start at the beginning: What was Pete doing before he
started at ThinkEmployment? Much like many of us, due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Pete was out of work and constantly applying for jobs. This was going on for a few
months until his work coach at the Job Centre recommended he apply for some
Kickstart positions. He looked into the Kickstart scheme and thought it sounded like
an interesting opportunity (who wouldn’t?) so he started applying. After a few weeks
and a few different interviews, he landed the job here at ThinkEmployment without a
second thought. (Haha, get it?)
So, what exactly was Pete doing here? He was first officially hired as a Customer
Service Assistant to begin with. His initial duties were to help our Recruitment team
with the recruitment process. He was to ensure we had all of the correct information
for the candidates; if we didn’t, then Pete would have to call or email the candidates
in order to update the system with the correct details. He would also call them to
make sure that they got a referral code for the position they were applying for. This
would then allow them to move on to the next step of the recruitment process –
Pre-Client or “screening” calls. If you’ve got a sharp memory, you’ll know all about
what screening calls entail from Owen’s success story. Doesn’t all this learning
sound so fun and interesting?
You’ll notice I said Pete’s initial job role was as a Customer Service Assistant; this is
because after about a month of helping with the recruitment process, a new
opportunity presented itself – being trained to become a Remote Invigilator – and he
jumped at the chance. Remote Invigilation is essentially watching people take exams
online and making sure they don’t cheat in any way. It also involves uploading proof
of exams into the system. Towards the end of Pete’s Kickstart role, he was required
to train others in Remote Invigilation and mentor them until they were confident
enough to carry it out themselves. This is just one example of how the Kickstart
scheme gives you a wide range of skills, from communication and customer service
to leadership and mentoring!
“What employability skills did Pete learn?” you ask. Fear not, for that’s what I’m
about to tell you! During his time at ThinkEmployment Pete watched his confidence
and communication skills soar as a result of talking to customers and colleagues on
a daily basis. It also increased his time management and problem solving skills as
he always needed to be on time to exams, with the ability to quickly find solutions should anything go wrong.
But how has all of this impacted Pete’s life? He’d always looked into the
administration/customer service field; however he just didn’t know exactly what he
wanted to do. Having the opportunity to be a Remote Invigilator has helped him pick
a career path he never would’ve thought of before his Kickstart position. The
benefits aren’t just external though. Having supportive colleagues has made him feel
happier, more valued and more confident.
What happened next? You don’t have to shout at me, I’ll enlighten you. Pete’s
contract at ThinkEmployment finished, however this has allowed him to pursue his
new career path. Due to invigilation training and how much he thoroughly enjoyed
the role, he began searching for jobs in that chosen field. He applied for a position at
Open Awards, and of course he landed the job! What can I say, the Kickstart
scheme swings but never misses.
Overall, Pete loved every minute of his Kickstart position; the job, the people, the
opportunities and skills he learned along the way. In his own words, “Everything has
been amazing.” Pete wouldn’t lie to you; Kickstart really is all it’s cracked up to be
after all.
Don’t go just yet! If you’re interested in reading more Success Stories, or even more
about Kickstart in general, feel free to check out our other blog posts! Hope to see
you again soon!
