What’s your name and position here at Strive?

My name is Olga and I’m an Outreach Liaison/ Employment Support at Strive Training.

Tell us about your professional background.

I graduated in English and German Philology and Business English. I worked at a boutique in Swiss Cottage, in direct sales for Centrica, as a junior admin for a recruitment agency, at Children’s Centre delivering story sessions to under 5’s and then as the centre administrator. In my last role I was a recruitment  manager at one of the agencies for Heathrow Airport.

What does a typical day look like for you and what are you currently working on?

Where do I start?  No two days are the same at Strive Training! I deliver outreach sessions at various JCPs, present to learners and promote job vacancies, support learners into employment, I’m involved with a lot of networking to ensure we have a steady flow of referrals from various referral partners- other than JCPs. I attend Job Fairs, Labour Market Campaigns, group and information sessions. I arrange meetings to ensure Strive Training work in partnership with a wide number of other providers. I absolutely love what I do and can honestly say it’s the best job I’ve had so far.

What are your biggest professional challenges?

Changing mindsets of people, first to enrol them onto a course, then to look and apply for job vacancies. Reducing the number of those who fail to attend is currently one of my biggest worries. There’s often a lot hard work I put into booking the learners. It’s sad to find out people did not turn up, as I can see what amazing opportunity they’ve missed.

What do you think has changed in the employment sector over the past two years?

I believe that networking is still slightly underestimated. Nowadays employers are more likely to recruit someone “recommended” to them. I think this factor strongly contributes to Strive Training’s success rates in job outcomes. Strive Training learners have a positive reputation and employers are happy with the calibre of applicants we send for interviews.

What do you want to focus on most over the next six months?

Helping more people into employment, as this is the most rewarding part of my role at Strive Training. It’s the best feeling ever when someone gets a job!