Career Ready is a UK wide charity that helps secondary school students gain the confidence they need to enter the workplace. These students often have plenty of potential but may need some guidance and opportunities to boost their confidence. Its hoped that by completing this program, Career Ready students will gain the skills they need to compete for some of the UK’s best careers.
Change Recruitment is proud to be part of this program and welcome bright, talented CareerReady interns into the recruitment industry. Jennifer Kennedy, a 5th-year pupil at All Saints Secondary School in Glasgow, is one of these students. Towards the end of her four-week internship with Change, we spoke with Jennifer to find out a bit more about her experiences and goals for the future.
What was interning at Change like?
I’ve enjoyed being an intern at Change. The staff are really nice and have made me feel very welcome. I’ve gained experience with tasks like scanning, filing, photocopying, adding candidates onto the system, formatting CVs, sending emails, updating reports, and listening to interviews. I have really enjoyed working at Change and I have found it very helpful.
What is your most significant accomplishment from your internship?
My biggest accomplishment is that I have met and enjoyed working with new people. I have gotten to know them more while working here. I am a very quiet and shy person and don’t really like being in places with people I don’t know, but this has improved since working at Change.
Would you now consider a career in recruitment?
I probably would consider a career in recruitment, it’s been a really good experience and I liked the tasks I had to complete during the internship. I also like that the people in the recruitment industry are very nice people.
What are your future goals/aspirations?
My future goals are to work in a nursery, go to college to get the qualifications for university, go to university to study Education, and eventually become a Primary School teacher.
We also spoke to Senior Consultant Catrina Short, Jennifer’s Career Ready mentor, to find out how her internship had gone and what it was like to mentor a young person.
So Catrina, what has it been like mentoring Jennifer?
I think it’s been a great experience for both myself and Jennifer. In the beginning, I was a little nervous as I hadn’t really worked with or mentored young people before. However, you’re given a lot of support from the Career Ready staff and have several meetings and introductions before the internship begins to make everyone involved feels comfortable.
I’ve enjoyed helping Jennifer and guiding her through the process and feel I have been in a privileged position to help support using the experience I have gained throughout my years in recruitment.
How has Jennifer's internship gone?
Jennifer has been a delight to mentor. She is a lovely young girl with lots of potential. When I first met Jennifer, she was very quiet and kept to herself. Through our meetings and internship, I feel she is opening up a little more. Although still quiet, she is confident enough to ask questions, follow instruction and complete tasks.
She has spent time with several departments within our business so far, has interacted with various people, sat in on interviews and client meetings and has done so in a professional manner. She is a fast learner and picks up instructions quickly in order to complete tasks to a high level. It’s been great to get to know Jennifer and work with her throughout the mentor programme.
Want to know more about Change Recruitment’s partnership with Career Ready? Read about another Career Ready intern Alexandria Warner’s experience here or visit Career Ready to learn about becoming a mentor.