What will you take away from 2021? It’s been a year of settling into working from home, hybrid meetings, legacy hands and yes, even more; ‘Jen, you’re on mute…’ in short, it’s been another year of doing things differently…
Imagine starting a new job and not having any idea what working in a large office environment is like, let alone working from home and only seeing your new colleagues on a computer screen? That’s the situation Nisha and Sumbal, who joined Nottingham City Council as Kickstarters this autumn, found themselves in. We asked them to take some time out of their busy working days, to tell us how they were getting on.
I feel like a valued part of the team
I started my Kickstart placement early September this year and I really enjoy my job in business administration and marketing. We’re contracted to work 25 hours per week so I imagined that I would feel like an outsider in the team but that’s not been the case! I already feel like a valued team member, my opinions are listened to by the people I work with and taken seriously.
“I initially applied for this role because I really wanted to step foot into the marketing industry. I was struggling to get a job in the field because of my lack of knowledge and experience and I really do feel like I’ve made the right decision by choosing a Kickstart role.” Nisha.
I am now on my third month and I’ve not only got a paid job in marketing, I also have a team of experienced people around me and helping me move forward. I receive a lot of one-to-one support and fortnightly meetings with the wider team. It gives me a greater insight on what’s happening around me and also helps me understand my role better.
“I divide my time between doing my day to day admin tasks and the marketing side of things; you can find me promoting events, creating posts and content for our social media one day and inputting data on spreadsheets or emailing delegates the next day. Every day is different, so I am always learning something new.” Nisha.
I think it’s an amazing experience
I really appreciate this opportunity; I know that I will use all the skills I have gained from this experience in my future job roles. I think Kickstart is an amazing experience for someone looking to break the norm and who wants do things differently.
The type of support that is offered to me on the Kickstart role is great
I have been treated like a valuable member of their team involved with most of what is going on. I get to meet most of the other members of the team in big meetings and one-to-one.
It’s been a fantastic few weeks experiencing different parts of the job; I’ve been able to sit in on interviews with people looking for support to find work, which gave me a new perspective as I have always been on the other side of the table; it was different and I enjoyed it.
“I started my Kickstart role in October. I didn’t know what to expect from a Kickstart placement but I have found that it’s great, it’s better than I expected!” Sumbal.
The work is something that I have experienced a bit before, using Microsoft tools and email but I’m improving these skills and the new ones that I am gaining are going to help me with future jobs. The type of support that is offered to me on the Kickstart role is great, I have been getting on well with learning and understanding different working methods.
