Pre-Employment Learners Reflect On Their Experience

Can you share how you first learned about The Skills Centre, and what caught your interest?

Terry – Through the youth Centre in Grays they informed me about the CSCS card course for three weeks, this interested me as I want to get all my appropriate checks and tickets required on site. 

Josh – I first learned about it through the Job Centre. I wasn’t aware it was dry lining based but learning about that has caught my interest. 

Harrison – I first learned about The Skills Centre through Measoms and I was told that it would help get my green card. 

Eddie -  I was quite lucky to hear about it from a company called Employability. They are an arm of the NHS and they get people with disabilities, things like autism, ADHD into work.

What specific aspects of the programme did you enjoy the most, and why did they stand out to you?

Josh – Learning about dry lining because I didn’t know anything about it but when I learned about it, and doing practical I feel like it’s something I can do and enjoy. 

Harrison – The practical work like building a room and learning the basics of dry lining. 

Jenna - I enjoyed the people and friends I have made that I feel I will stay in contact with for a while after this. I also enjoyed the method things were taught as it was done in a way I understood. This stood out to me as it made me feel included and welcome. 

Paul - I really enjoyed the part where we was building and getting our hands dirty, it was a lot of fun doing it and the reason it stood out the most is because I’ve never done anything like that before. 

Khristian -  The reason why I liked it more is because it's classroom and practical based. And when you're in a classroom, you know, you're not in school. You're here to learn something to get you into work to progress into a trade or something in the future. 

What tips would you give to someone considering enrolling in this programme?

Terry – Most importantly be punctual and be on time as the tutors or their associates could be your next employer.  

Jenna - Treat the first week as if it is your last effort wise to ensure you are allowing yourself enough time to fully understand and give yourself a better chance at passing. Also to go in with an open mind as the characters and subjects are extremely diverse and interesting to be around, this makes the course fly by. 

Paul - It is honestly so worth it, like in three weeks you have job opportunities and you have fun on the course. Don’t be late, don’t mess around and just do the work, it’s worth doing. 

Eddie -  My best advice would be to make sure that you're doing it at the right time for you in life. Because if you've got a load of stuff going on in your personal life, the last thing you want to do is call up three days into the course or a week into the course, sorry, I can't come in today. So definitely time and place because you’ve got to do this thing wholeheartedly for the three weeks, and complete it with best intentions. 

Now that you have completed the programme, in what ways do you think the qualifications will help you in your career or personal development?

Terry – I believe this course will set me up for progression in the site world as courses can help you to move up the ladder in the workplace. 

Josh – I think even if I’m not successful in dry lining the CSCS card will definitely help with future job searches. 

Paul - I feel like doing this course has opened a lot of doors for me and I can now do a lot more with my life. If I wanted to now I could go and do more education and learn more things now that I have done this course. 

Eddie -  I can already see a multitude of doors that have already been opened for me.  There's also other courses through the Skills Centre that you offer that I'm already eager to take up.

Even though these learners have completed their three-week bootcamp with us, that does not mean their journey with The Skills Centre has come to an end. There are a whole range of courses they can participate in to continue to upskill into more specialist roles. Our centre in Essex offers specialised dry lining bootcamps, where the learners develop the specialist skills and knowledge needed for a traineeship or apprenticeship in dry lining, insulation and interior systems. They are also given the opportunity to take on two weeks work experience with our local partners including Measom Dry Lining, Platt and Riley and Stanmore. 

What inspired you to join this programme in the first place?

Josh – I joined to get a qualification since I had none before to try and get a career and better myself. 

Jenna - My goals starting this were to pass and to have a better chance achieving work in construction, I was inspired to join this programme because of how short it was but also how diverse and inclusive the opportunities are within the course. 

Paul - Hearing about this course I looked at the fact of I need money and I couldn’t get a construction job without this card. My goals were to do landscaping but now that I have done this course I want to do dry lining. 

After completing the programme, what is your overall impression of your experience?

Terry – I am impressed with the tutors and how well they ran the programme, they made a comfortable working environment at the same time giving us hours in a classroom practicing and learning for our test. 

Harrison – Better than expected because I thought it would just be in a classroom and then there was practical lessons, so it was hands on. 

Jenna - My overall impression of this course is that the way in which things are taught and learned are very effective, also that there is a huge amount of support for any struggles and that everybody on the course, including the tutors, is incredibly kind and welcoming to be around. Due to this the three week course felt like one or two weeks due to the enjoyment found within it. 

Khristian -  As a whole, if you're looking to get into the construction industry and further progress yourself, this is a perfect course, to get you started because again, it is a pre employment course. It is here to help you get to work.