Upon joining Talent Match, Darrel was paired with his new mentor, Jay. Jay was able to help Darrel get straight onto a Customer Service Course, completing his Retail Level One and Two with the IMS Pilot Scheme.
Further trying to develop Darrel’s skills for employment, Darrel and Jay worked together to get him onto an ICT course with Skills Training. Darrel attained his level I and II in ICT, which led on to him being eligible for an administration course, also through Skills Training.
With support, as Darrel has dyslexia which impacts on his learning, Darrel was able to achieve level I and II in Business Administration.
On Talent Match Darrel’s confidence has steadily grown. His new qualifications bolstered his CV and started to make him realise his potential. Darrel’s new confidence allowed him to complete a demonstration of his battle re-enactment hobby, to other mentees, where he was able to explain and answer questions regarding what was entailed.
Darrel was invited to attend The Challenge Academy. This involved two days of activities designed to stretch and increase individuals comfort zones, both in a group and on their own. Here Darrel was able to face his fear of heights and begin to overcome them on the high wire activities.
Through the group sessions, Darrel also showed himself to have hidden leadership qualities, which came to the fore. The Challenge Academy, really helped to increase Darrel’s self-belief.
After eight years of unemployment, Darrel was now in a position where he believed he could get a job. With the support of his mentor and job coach and his updated CV, with all his new qualifications, we kicked his job searching up a gear. This involved honing in on particular areas Darrel would like to work. Through this, as well as warehouse and retail, we realised Darrel would also like to work in the care industry. This broadened the scope of his employability options.
It was in this new area, having supported Darrel with an application form to a Care Home, that Darrel got his first interview. With this great news, we set about doing intense interview preparation. We completed mock interviews, company research, interview questions and answers and general preparation.
All Darrel’s hard work paid off, after being offered the position, before he had even left the building after his interview.
Jay supported Darrel with his initial online training, which was linked in with his classroom training. Darrel successfully completed this and commenced work in March.
No one could have foreseen the global pandemic, which swept across the world and through the country, just as Darrel started work.
This instantly made Darrel a front-line key worker. This is where Darrel has shown great courage and grit, rising to the huge challenges found in care homes across the country, Darrel has remained vigilant and active in caring for some of the most vulnerable people in society, especially in this time of crisis.
Darrel’s success in this role and at this time is something he can remain proud of for the rest of his life.
Darrel continues to be very involved with Talent Match. He has received in work support from his mentor and is regularly involved in online activities, set up by Talent Match.
Last December, Darrel who won the Talent Match 2020 Celebration, Shining Star and Brightest Star Awards. Usually a big celebration event at the Molineux with Sameena Ali-Khan presenting, but with coronavirus and lockdown it was reduced to a Facebook and a YouTube presentation.
