Due to Covid-19 and a period of furlough I was eventually made redundant by my previous employer. My Work Coach from the DWP recommend the Strive Employability course to help strengthen my job search and interview skills. I was unemployed for 2-3 months prior to beginning the course.

I took the Strive Employability Course as it was recommended to me by my DWP Work Coach.

Initially I was slightly concerned about using Zoom and Teams as I hadn’t used these applications previously and can find these modes of communication slightly awkward. Also having been furloughed for several months I was slightly anxious about meeting a new set of people and adjusting back to a structured daily routine.

The fact that I was able to participate in a fully accredited course for free, from the comfort of my own home greatly appealed to me. Everyone on the course was incredibly supportive and friendly and it was nice to be able to connect with people who were facing the same challenges as myself. The courses were led efficiently and the guidance from our course leader Abi was fantastic. The application and interview skills that I learned were incredibly useful, especially as I was keen to pursue a career within the Civil Service. After completing the course I was able to apply the skills learned and new found confidence, to my job applications and managed to secure a new job within a matter of weeks.

I would definitely recommend Strive. It is a great opportunity to gain valuable skills and interact with likeminded people for free. The team are all very supportive and continue to provide guidance even after the course has been completed. The thoughtful gestures such as sending chocolates to the participants prior to the course beginning, is reflective of the care and ethos of Strive, they really care about your success!

I have managed to build on my skill set and confidence, resulting in me securing new employment.

Thank you Strive!