28 May
Unemployed and struggling to break into his dream job, John was referred to Shaw Trust’s Change Project. At the time John was claiming Universal Credit and despite his ambition and past achievements, he lacked industry experience and felt lost on how to progress. He had applied for numerous jobs without success, resulting in low morale and not knowing what to do.
The Change Project provided John with support including a dedicated mentor, employability and career skills sessions, and life coaching to define his goals. The team secured him an audio engineering work placement with a record company, where he gained practical experience and contributed to filming and editing a music video. “Getting a work placement in a field related to the one I was pursuing was a massive help. I gained so many skills I could take with me into the world of work”. – John.
We asked John to help us with a short film about how Shaw Trust support young people. He spent the day being the interviewer for the film which John thoroughly enjoyed, and the experience solidified his desire to work within media.
The Change Project also connected John with a job broker who identified relevant roles in film and camera work, supporting his applications and interview preparation to build his confidence. This led to a specialist two-day training course with Set Ready, where John learnt about set etiquette and how to become a Location Marshall. When asked about this training course John said “This course gave me such an invaluable bank of knowledge for working on a set. I’m so thankful Shaw Trust was able to find this opportunity and others like it”.
John was invited to be interviewed by BBC Radio 4, where he shared his experiences in struggling to get a job and the programme’s importance. Following the interview, he was invited for a tour of the BBC Broadcasting House. During this time the team were supporting John in applying for a film technician degree apprenticeship with the BBC. He was also shortlisted for a social media apprenticeship, creating a short film as part of the application process.
Feeling inspired after the BBC tour, John prepared for his BBC interview with the team and practiced his presentation.
Finally, John’s hard work and resilience to never quit on his dream paid off; the BBC offered him the apprenticeship, highlighting his exceptional applications and evident passion throughout the process.
John expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to pursue his lifelong dream career. He is set to begin his apprenticeship in September and is already proactively preparing for his studies.
John said: “I would give it ten out of ten. The support I have been given has been amazing. I’ve received CV tailoring and one-on-one interview practice, the support from the job coaches has been superb too. One of the best experiences I got out of the programme was being able to work in a music studio. I had such a fun time and learnt a lot of really interesting skills I can carry forward. My favourite part was getting to film behind the scenes footage for a music video. The project has been a great help for me while finding work, and I absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for their first job in any industry.”
Are you like John and struggling to find your way into your dream career? Or do you not know where to start?
Visit: We support young people to realise their potential – Shaw Trust and let Shaw Trust support you.
Photo of John interviewing people on our Shaw Trust filming day.
Photo of John interviewing people on our Shaw Trust filming day.
Photo of John interviewing people at the Change Project event.
Photo of John interviewing people at the Change Project event.