Adecco helps students with additional needs prepare for the job market
From left, Peter Page, regional manager, Adecco, with Suffolk One foundation learning students JJ Rhind- Tutt and Ben Eeles, and Tony Dalliday, Adecco's Ipswich branch manager - Credit: Archant
Increasingly, employers from the region are reaching out to young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to help them get a start on the employment ladder.
One such company is recruitment agency Adecco, which has worked with students with additional needs from Suffolk One Sixth Form College in Ipswich and provided them with some valuable experience that may make the difference in the job market.
Adecco’s regional manager Peter Page and Suffolk One’s foundation learning staff, Claire Jones and Tina Sharman, identified a number of students to participate in the employability programme. Their task was to compile a CV and covering letter before attending two interviews with staff from Adecco – one at the college and the second interview at Adecco’s office in Ipswich.
One of the students who took part was Ben Eeles, who said: “I didn’t feel nervous about the interview until I got into the room and froze, so, I couldn’t think of anything to say for the first question.”
However, according to Mr Page, after Ben relaxed and got into his stride, he gave a good account of himself.
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“My main tip for him was to do more research on the company and make sure he tucked his shirt in,” added Mr page
“He also had lots of work experience and voluntary work that he hadn’t put on his CV”.
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In total Adecco worked with 12 students for this pilot project.
Mr Page continued “Whilst Adecco work with many schools with our “Way to Work Programme” – it’s the first time we have specifically targeted working with SEND students. I didn’t know what to expect, but I was so impressed with their attitude to work.
“Given the right training and support, any of these students could succeed in the workplace.”
He added: “Unemployment is reducing, there’s an aging workforce in many sectors and with the changes around immigration and Brexit, it’s a dry market. These young people offer a talent pool of candidates that employers shouldn’t ignore”.
If you are an employer who would like to tap into this pool of future employees by offering work experience, traineeships, apprenticeships or Supported Internships contact sendsational@suffolk.gov.uk for more information.
