Aaron was referred to The Forward Trust in 2023. At his initial meeting, it was obvious that Aaron was eager to get to work but felt held back by many challenges. He wanted to work on his interview skills, CV writing, confidence, and motivation.
After developing Aaron’s CV, Aaron’s employment advisors put him forward for a pre-screen interview at the Travelodge in Ramsgate. The feedback highlighted that he’d benefit from improving the way he presented himself during interview, so a 1:1 session in an interview technique workshop gave Forward the insights they needed to understand – and help - his needs.
At the end of December 2023, and like many people at all stages of their career, Aaron experienced a great high and then a low.
After securing a job as a food production line operative and completing the induction session, Aaron was understandably disappointed when he heard nothing back. It turned out that the job position was pulled. It felt like a big blow for Aaron given his excitement about finally getting going on the job front.
Despite this temporary setback, Aaron kept going. He completed a back-to-work course to refresh his knowledge about the workspace and build his confidence. He then received an email and had to select an interview date and time for another position in the local area.
The Restart team helped Aaron pick the date and time of his interview to give him enough preparation time and worked with him every day until the interview to ensure he was as prepared as possible.
Unfortunately, Aaron was not successful at the interview for this position, but he received really positive feedback. It was progress - his interview skills were getting better.
Following this, Aaron attended a Forward jobs fair and secured three more interviews, and even though they weren’t successful, all feedback was extremely positive.
Shortly after, Aaron received a phone call for an interview at Reclamet, a Kent-based company that deals with scrap metal and car dealings. The interview went so well that he was offered to a trail shift the next day, which is where he received the excellent news that he had secured the position.
But help from Forward’s Restart team did not stop there. They were able to fully fund a bike for Aaron so he could get to work with ease - delighted to help him one last time.
About his time on the Restart Scheme, Aaron said:
“I was always made to feel welcome and that my advisor Kirsty always went above and beyond to ensure I was supported. The time at Forward was never overwhelming and always productive.”
