Faheema moved to the UK from India in October 2021 and came to GRoW to help her understand how to get a job after a gap of 10 years to raise her children.
Faheema said: “Since joining the GRoW Programme in July I have gained so much knowledge and confidence. I had no idea how to start looking for a job in the UK and was really shy too. I needed some help to point me in the right direction and show me the way. In India, I worked in IT and then as a teacher but I have not worked in over 10 years and was not sure of what skills I might need to start work here.
GRoW have been so helpful for me. I have taken advantage of all of their workshops so I could learn how to get ready for work. At the Job Searching Workshop I have learned all about the different job sites I can access to find jobs and apply for them. At Sonia’s CV Workshop she has worked with me to look at ways I can fill the employment gap and I am now doing an online IT course which will help me upskill and reach my goal of working back in the IT sector again.
I also went to the Preparing to Work in Schools Programme which was really interesting as it helped me understand the different things I could do to help me improve my skills and get noticed by an employer. One of the most useful sessions for me was the Interview Workshop as it taught me a lot about the right phrases and words to use when responding to questions and also it taught me a lot about body language and how to make a good impression. I am also doing the Mindful Parenting course at the moment which is really useful, not just in how to support me to parent in a more mindful way but to teach me new skills that help me as a mother and woman too.
I am really clear now about what work I want to do and how I am going to reach my goal. I am currently looking for admin jobs and I have learned how to write cover letters to go with my job applications so they are tailored to the jobs I am interested in. I am doing my IT course and I feel that once I have a job in admin I will be able to get some work experience under my belt and then start looking for jobs in IT.
GRoW has really helped set me on a path to where I want to be and that in itself is a huge achievement which has really given me a lot of confidence in myself.”