Covid-19. I bet you’re tired of hearing about it. With the last of the isolation laws being kicked to the curb, we’re almost, so, so close, to being back to normal. Although the pandemic initially left us living in a life of uncertainty and many businesses not knowing what the future would hold, the unemployment rate is at the lowest it’s ever been. 

But we didn’t need to wait for the beginning of the end to find a silver lining over the last year. One of the measures the government introduced was the Kickstart scheme and we here at Training Qualifications UK are delighted to have been a part of it. 

Introducing Shaun! 

Shaun Parker joined TQUK in August 2021 through the Kickstart scheme. He wasted no time getting involved and stuck into the everyday tasks on a variety of different teams.  

Whether he was helping print certificates with our Operations team or delving into Gateways over on the EPA side of the business, Shaun showed us what he was made of. Speaking about joining TQUK as someone completely new to the industry, Shaun explains how things have worked out for him: 

“When I joined TQUK I didn’t know what to expect, which made me quite nervous. The team were welcoming instantly which made me more comfortable to learn and shadow different people in their different roles.” 

Fast forward six months and Shaun is now a fully-fledged member of the TQUK team! 

”I’ve found myself a career that I enjoy and can see myself doing for a long time. There are lots of opportunities and I’ve learnt a lot in different sections of the business. 

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do before and now I have a career.” 

Katie Orr, Awarding Director said, “We couldn’t be more delighted that Shaun has found his groove with us. We couldn’t imagine the office without him and as his Kickstart came to an end, we were ready and waiting with a contract that we hoped he would sign. I’m looking forward to seeing Shaun grow into his new role.” 

What’s Kickstart? 

Kickstart is a scheme put in place to help people between the ages of 18 and 24 get into work. Whether they’ve never had a job or they lost their job during the pandemic, Kickstart is designed to give young people the chance to bounce back. 

When it comes to struggling to find work, the younger generation who have just left college and university have been the hardest hit. The Kickstart scheme gives people in this age group a 6-month placement of 25 hours per week in any job sector, providing them with the chance to gain experience in the workplace and develop business skills.  

So as the scheme draws to a close, we reflect on how well it’s worked for us.  

To qualify for a Kickstart role, candidates needed to be aged 18-24. That’s it. Yep, really.  

The scheme didn’t require candidates to have any previous experience as it aimed to give young people the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills.  

Here at Training Qualifications UK, we care about powering people forward in their careers. We understand that the pandemic has left the nation struggling and we wanted to do our part to help people get back into work. 

Whether it’s through a qualification or an End-Point Assessment Apprenticeship, we embody learning and vocational achievement.