November 2011
Icing on the cake for young
unemployed
Thirteen unemployed young people took their
first steps to a new career when they graduated from Get into
Catering and Hospitality programme.
Young people on the programme gained
accredited qualifications in food safety, first aid, welcome host,
conflict resolution, personal safety and health and safety at work.
They also completed a seven day work placement with employers such
as Starbucks, Compass, Cafe Vaudeville, Little Wing, Botanic Inns
and The Central Winebar in Ballycastle.
Colin's story
Colin Halliday, 23
year-old from the Donegal Road is one of the graduates who
completed training and has secured a job with Little Wing on the
Lisburn Road.
"I had trained and been working as a
tiler but the jobs dried up and I needed to re-skill. When I heard
about The Prince’s Trust ‘Get into Catering and Hospitality’
programme, it really appealed to me as I like working with the
general public.
"The work experience at Little Wing
was the best part of the course for me. All of the staff were
really welcoming and interested in helping me learn new things. I
was kept busy mainly taking orders and serving customers which was
ideal for me. Then at the end of the week, I was offered a job!
This is just the beginning
for me ... if I work hard and prove myself, I can move up the ranks
quite quickly and not just work in Little Wing but
maybe in the Merchant Hotel some day.
Presenting the graduates with their
certificates, Jo Watson, Head of Private Sector with The Prince’s
Trust in Northern Ireland, said: "There is a real air of optimism
here today, not only with our young people but also our work
placement providers, many of whom have found first rate employees
through this programme."
The Trust is about providing young people with
opportunities and we are delighted that almost three quarters of
participants in our Get into programmes move on to employment,
training or education.