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BBC London People – #GreaterLondoners ……..

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Really proud to be nominated to @bbclondonpeople Instagram project #greaterlondoners.

 

Although the journalist got a few things wrong, including it was an unpaid week trial I did for the accountant not paid it made me reflect on what I have achieved.  Through the Real Apprentice and its successor Growing Talent, I’ve got over 600 people into permanent full-time jobs – literally changing their lives – as they tell me.  All with barriers.  All without the confidence to secure a job the traditional route.  One of these, Shennell, nominated me for this #greaterlonder project. #proud #humble

 

I drew on my experience years later when devising the Real Apprentice which run from 2004 to 2013 and won multiple awards including the best of Europe to Growing Talent – 2014-Present.

 

It’s amazing the difference we can make to others without realising the impact we make.  I’m guilty of not reflecting on what I do enough.  I believe most of us don’t reflect on our actions and affirm just how great we are!

 

Take time to nurture yourself.

Check out the feature below:  

The end of the road…………

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Today is the final day of Growing Talent 21.  Nine of the 13 who started the journey have completed and secured their permanent roles.

 

Their true grit and determination has paid off.

 

Congratulations and respect to:

 

Amar – joined MitieTDM – Specialist Internal Firm Services

Bernie -joined MitieTDM – Specialist Internal Firm Services

Navin -joined MitieTDM – Specialist Internal Firm Services

Kelly – joined Melia White House Hotel

Heavenly – joined Firmdale Hotel

Robert – joined Firmdale Hotel – initially as Kitchen Porter but his performance saw him start as Commis Chef

Natasha – joined Firmdale Hotel

Charlie-Ray – joined Portico at PwC

Katrina – joined Portico at PwC

 

We wish them all well in their careers ahead………………

 

 

8 months – what a transformation…..

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Whilst in the London office, I bumped into Phil – one of the Mitie managers in Service Solutions – seen on the right with Jamie ex-Growing Talent Associate.

 

Phil selected Jamie in July 2017 on the 13th programme.  Jamie had never held a permanent, full-time role but had a strong work ethic.  He was really confident at home and with friends, but it was a different story in the corporate glass building that  he would be based in.

 

Jamie picked up the role really quickly.  He has been so supportive of his team from day 1 that when it came to the annual Graduation in December, Jamie didn’t stick around for the adulation and photos.  He wanted to get back to his team as they were so busy with the Christmas rush!

 

Today, I bumped into Phil who gave a glowing report on Jamie. ‘He always works late if necessary, supports the team and even covered two departments on his own.  He really is up there with the great personalities  we’ve had on Growing Talent’.

 

It’s lovely to hear how well everyone continues to do.  Jamie truly is a fab role model for others to follow.

18 December 2017 – what a night!

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GROUP

Seen above are some of the 27 Growing Talent Graduates of 2017 after receiving their Graduation prize – a logo’d fitbit from Jon and Steve of PwC centre rear.

 

A fabulous evening of catch-up for the Graduates – some had not seen each other for almost a year!

 

Of course, it was off to the pub for liquid refreshments shortly after this was taken – very well deserved!

 

Well done to all of you………

 

What will 2018 bring?

 

More information at http://www.growing-talent.co.uk…….

 

New Year = New Opportunity!

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At the start of 2017, there were 27 people who really wanted to change their lives and get into permanent work – but being unemployed – they had no idea how.

 

At the same time there were a number of employers including some from the world of hospitality, business moves, recruitment, data management and business services looking to add new talent to their businesses but not knowing how to confidently recruit people with knowledge of their current and future potential as well as their commitment and reliability.

 

Growing Talent is the bridge between the two.  A supported journey for both sides to evaluate the other delivering sustainable recruitment and no surprises!

 

All 27 people mentioned above at the start of 2017, completed Growing Talent and went into work.  Their employers were confident they had the right match for their roles, teams and business.

 

To date, Growing Talent has seen 121 people from diverse backgrounds go into permanent jobs changing their lives and their employer’s perception on the talent that is missed in the ranks of our unemployed population.

 

It’s so difficult ‘selling’ your skills and potential on a faceless cv.  It’s even harder if confidence has dropped due to unemployment.  Some of the success stories of Growing Talent below………

 

Richard – mid-30s and never worked.  Dropped school at 15.  Secured a role with Harrow Green – still working there almost 2 years later.

 

Dan – a graduate who didn’t know what career he wanted.  Joined a front of house team on a corporate site as a Welcome Host.  18 months later – on their fastback programme progressing to team leader.

 

Chris – a little over 3 years ago, had a series of temp jobs in retail and some volunteering.  Was unwell with depression.  When asked why he should be given a chance on Growing Talent, he replied ‘I honestly don’t know’.  He joined a business solutions organisation on a corporate site.  After two years he moved to a hotel reception role and is now Supervisor there  managing a team!  He’s also started a degree course in his spare time.

 

If you are looking to get into work in 2018 and don’t know how – check http://www.growing-talent.co.uk.

 

As an employer, if you don’t recruit through Growing Talent, do you want to continue missing out on great talent like Chris, Dan and Richard?  It costs nothing other than time, open mind and commitment.

 

What are you going to change in 2018?

Life skills from the Navy Seals…..

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Admiral William H McRaven gave an insightful life lessen in a graduation speech in 2014.  Key points came from his basic seal training back in 1977 and is highly relevant today……..  You can track down the film on You Tube…

If you want to change the world – or just your part in it:

Start with making your bed.  what was the point of daily bed inspections?  To set the bar.  If you can’t do the little stuff – you’ll never do the big stuff. It sets a positive note for the day – you’ve completed your first task!  If nothing else, you’ll come home to a well made bed!

Learn how to paddle! A boat will only travel efficiently if everyone works together.  Know when to ask for help. The ‘munchkins’ where the best paddle team.  From different backgrounds, different statues, all had heart, worked together and won the challenge.

Get over being a cookie – for failed uniform inspection, seals had to go in the water then roll in the sand – called ‘cookie’.  They then stayed in this all day.  Many couldn’t take this constant failure and dropped out.  They missed the lesson of failure.  You have to keep going.

 

Embrace the circus: for failing a physical challenge, a Seal had to do two extra hours.  Embrace it, it builds stamina.  The lesson is you will fail and sometime fail often but keep going, it builds stamina and resilience.

 

Go head first – sometimes you have to do things a different way and dive in.

 

Face down the bullies – Seals are trained to stand their ground when swimming in shark infested waters.  If a shark circles – punch it hard on the snout – it will swim away.

 

Be the best you can – especially in the darkest moment.

When you’re up to your neck in mud – start singing! – The power of hope.  It takes just one person and spreads quickly.  Think of Washington, Lincoln, King, Mahala

 

Don’t ever ring the bell!  In Seal training, there is a brass bell which people ring  to give up.  Never give-up.  Keep going you will succeed.

 

“Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never, ever give up — if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today.”

“It matters not your gender, your ethnic or religious background, your orientation, or your social status. Our struggles in this world are similar and the lessons to overcome those struggles and to move forward—changing ourselves and the world around us—will apply equally to all.”

“Changing the world can happen anywhere and anyone can do it.”

Some great lessons for us all………..

Mum’s on the school run….. don’t judge!

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Recent generations of working parents dropping their children off at school on their way to work have received a bad press for blocking drive ways, parking on yellow lines, causing congestion and so on.  Apart from saving time, using the car to drop children off ensures the parent their child has reached school safely.  Of course, we then have the argument about unfit/obese children who miss out on nature walking to school!

 

So it made me smile reading in The Metro this morning about a group of mum’s who heard a women shouting she was being robbed, spotted two men loading items into their van and collectively used their cars to block the van and men in whilst the police were called!  If they didn’t take their children to school in their  cars, they wouldn’t have been able to do this…

 

There is always another way to look at things.  I’ll remember this next time there is a bad press story about parents dropping their children off…… will you?

 

Sexism? Been around for decades…..

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There is rightly a lot in the press at the moment about sexism across society and business.  Danny Cotton is pushing for the term ‘Fireman’ to be abolished and ‘Firefighter’ to be used.

Pay inequality is rife and across all industries.  Sometimes it’s hard to remember the Equalities Act is seven years old when we still have this divide going on.

 

Yesterday Theresa May invited five ‘Canary Girls’ to 10 Downing Street to say ‘thank you’ for their role in the war.  All in their 90s, they recollected the dangers they worked in without even thinking about it.

 

Cordite was the substance they worked with in the ammunitions factories to make the explosives for the front.  Exposure to this – remember, long before our stringent H&S laws, turned the users yellow like canaries.

 

Looking back over history we have many examples of women breaking barriers despite how impenetrable these barriers initially seemed.

 

Elizabeth Garrett Anderson – became the first UK female doctor in the 1860s.  Nancy Astor became the first female MP in 1919.  Caroline Herschel was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society’s gold medal in 1828.  In 1848 Mary Sommerville’s book on Physical Geography was used in schools for the next 50 years.  The list goes on. It’s clear these women and every woman throughout history who has become an influence in their chosen field, may not have set out to break any glass ceilings or sexist views, but what happy by products!

 

I remember one of the first Asian female CEO’s said she never noticed a glass ceiling, she just got on with the job.

 

Sir Nicholas Winton said ethics kept him doing his work.  When asked what he meant he explained humanity’s ethics of decency, kindness, acceptance etc which he also felt were now gone.  If we treated each other with dignity and respect would we have the inequality we do?  I doubt it.

 

Surely every child just needs to be nurtured to belief they can achieve anything if they believe in themselves.

 

What a great example the ‘Canary Girls’ and every other person of achievement is to all of us no matter our gender, culture, race etc.  Any human being can achieve if they believe they can.

Right?

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It’s amazing the UK takes years – literally – to remove illegal immigrants but someone who has lived, studied and worked here continually for the last 10 years paying full tax and National Insurance has just been given 60 days notice to leave the UK.  Her employers – a global organisation – on learning this, terminated her employment immediately.

 

How can this be right?

 

I totally understand and agree people who have no right to be here, who haven’t worked or contributed to the country’s taxes should be removed immediately.  Especially criminals, those who spread hate etc.

 

Why not set a barrier – maybe those who were here legally before say 2014 would have their cases looked at individually not as a ‘tick box’ exercise.

 

It seems wholly tasteless to wreck someone’s life who has put so much into the UK.

 

Shouldn’t we focus time, energy and resources to removing criminals who have no right to be here…….

Affirmation you are doing ok!…….

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The best part of running Growing Talent is to see the growth in Associates on the journey.  So my favourite part is reading their evaluations at the end of the Orientation Week.

 

This is carried out prior to them going on site and is intended to boost self-esteem and give guidance on communication in the workplace etc.

 

So what did they learn?

‘I am positive in the eyes of others as well as myself’

‘That I still have the fight and strength within to achieve any goal I aim for’

‘I can be more confident than I thought I could be’

‘That I am capable of more’

‘I REALLY love recycling’

‘It’s ok to be afraid, it’s how you overcome that obstacle’

‘I can do it!’

‘I  learnt I am pretty well spoken and ow to be a little more confident’

‘I’m stronger than I thought’

‘Determination has set in’

‘I can do things I never thought possible’

‘Yes I can do anything with a bit of motivation’

‘It made me a better person and how to deal with things better’

‘I can meet new people and enjoy time spent with they’.

 

Having written and deliver Growing Talent, I’m not complacent to believe I do everything right.  I include a section on me as a trainer on the Associates end evaluation forms just to keep me on my toes and effective…… What did you think of Jane James, the trainer?

 

‘Great guide, really clear and helpful’

‘Hardworking, caring, 100% behind all of growing talent associates, very good at her role’

‘Jane is very helpful and insightful but also nice to talk to about anything that’s bothering us’

‘Very helpful and knowledgeable’

‘Brilliant, nurturing, encouraging – an amazing mentor’

‘Brilliant mentor and very inspiring’

‘Fantastic!’

‘Jane has been huge help and I feel very comfortable with telling her about any difficulties.  She has been very supportive’.

‘Lovely, strong, supporting lady.  Would love to be kept in contact with her for many years’.

‘A bundle of information, knowledge & strength’

‘Such an inspiration – amazing!’

 

It’s good to know from those we work with how we are doing.  Why not try giving those you work with an evaluation on you?