Question 1

Leanne - upskilling through GCSEs to boost career prospects and income

Accepted Answer

Leanne loves her current role but she needed to boost her income and has been looking for a second job to complement her existing employment. She spent time applying for vacancies but struggled to find opportunities that matched her skills, availability, and career aspirations. Working with Rhi, she agreed that a different approach was needed and was told about On Course South West. With support and guidance, Leanne began exploring opportunities within Plymouth's growing visitor economy. She attended multiple English Tourism Week events and employer engagement sessions, giving her the chance to meet local employers, learn about the sector, and gain a better understanding of the wide range of roles available. These sessions helped Leanne build her confidence and broaden her perspective on potential career pathways. Through conversations with employers and industry professionals, she gained valuable insight into the skills and qualifications that could help her access additional employment opportunities.As Leanne continued to receive support, she was encouraged to take the next step and improve her qualifications. With guidance Leanne enrolled with On Course South West and will be working towards achieving her GCSE qualifications in September. This represented a significant milestone, demonstrating both her determination and willingness to step outside her comfort zone to achieve her goals. By engaging with local employer events and committing to upskilling, Leanne transformed her approach to finding additional work. Rather than focusing solely on job applications, she invested in building her knowledge, confidence, and qualifications. This highlights the value of employer engagement, sector-focused events, and tailored support in helping individuals identify new opportunities.

Question 2

Esme - chef ambitions supported through volunteering, college and an EHCP pathway

Accepted Answer

Young people who are  not in employment, education or training (NEET) often face multiple barriers that can make progression into learning and work more challenging. For neurodivergent young people in particular, difficulties accessing appropriate support and finding pathways that align with their aspirations can increase the risk of disengagement from education and future opportunities. Disabled people with autism and those with learning difficulties were among the least likely to be in employment of all disabled people according to DWP statistics from the ONS Annual Population Survey. Esme's story demonstrates the importance of early intervention, personalised support and aspiration-led guidance in helping young people overcome these barriers. Due to challenges associated with her neurodivergence, Esme had struggled to engage with education and was at risk of becoming further disconnected from learning. However, she had a clear ambition of becoming a chef, which provided a strong foundation for planning her next steps. Through ongoing, supportive conversations, we explored realistic pathways that would enable Esme to work towards her career goals while ensuring the right support mechanisms were in place. A key part of this process was helping to secure an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), ensuring she could access the tailored support needed to succeed in further education. Working together, we supported Esme to enrol at City College Plymouth, where she will begin training aligned to her career aspirations. To further build her confidence, skills and industry knowledge, we also connected her with the team at Flavour Fest. Esme was given the opportunity to volunteer on the Demonstration Stage, working alongside professional chefs and gaining valuable hands-on experience in a real-world environment. The experience proved transformative. Esme thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity and made a lasting impression on both the chefs and event team. Chef Kit praised her contribution, commenting that her energy was incredible and that her passion and willingness to get involved made a significant difference to the team. Esme's journey highlights how targeted support, meaningful employer engagement and access to the right educational provision can help prevent young people from becoming NEET and instead build positive, sustainable pathways into education and employment. With her EHCP now in place and her place secured at City College Plymouth, Esme is set to begin her studies in September and take an important step towards achieving her ambition of becoming a chef.

Question 3

Jay - from Jobcentre referral to securing his first hospitality role at Zephyr Burger

Accepted Answer

Initially referred to Welcoming Plymouth via his Work Coach Julie, Jay arranged to meet with the Visitor Economy Co-ordinator during August when Skills Launchpad Plymouth was based in Barclays. A young person keen on pursuing a career in hospitality, Jay was eager to explore options in work or training as a chef or in roles that might be able to get him there.Details were shared around apprenticeships and training which could support this journey, also sharing job opportunities which might be of interested to Jay. As part of his application journey, Jay had some CV support lined up through his Work Coach, Julie. Given lots of ideas for next steps, Jay went away from his meeting feeling very positive and would follow up with the updated CV when it was completed. After a quiet couple of weeks, the coordinator next saw Jay when he was booked into a diary session at Old Tree Court Job Centre. Jay was quick to share that he had recently had a work trial at Zephyr Burger! He’d applied by sending his CV and then had taken the advice to be proactive and has asked when sending in his CV if he could be considered for a work trial, which they’d accepted, great attitude Jay! Upon following up soon after Jay confirmed that he had indeed been offered the job. This news was shortly followed up by a chance visit to Zephyr when we caught sight of Jay and managed to have a quick catch up. Great to see Jay in action! We wish him well for his continued journey with one of Plymouth’s most celebrated independent restaurants.

Question 4

Erin - building confidence through the King’s Trust and progressing towards qualifications

Accepted Answer

Erin first came to Welcoming Plymouth feeling unsure about returning to work or training. Although her mental health had been a barrier, she was motivated to change her path and build a more positive future. Working in partnership with The King’s Trust, we developed a long-term plan to help Erin overcome the challenges she was facing. She was referred to On Course South West and enrolled onto the Exploring Employability course to gradually build her confidence before beginning Get into Retail with M&S through The King’s Trust in March. Erin is currently progressing well on her employability course. Reflecting on her experience so far, Erin said: “The course is going well and I’ve found it really insightful so far! Thank you for checking in with me and supporting.” Six months on – Erin’s confidence has skyrocketed and Erin has applied to stay with On Course South West to achieve her Bookkeeping qualification and has a better idea of what she wants for her future career!

Question 5

James - employer insight visits lead to a successful hospitality job outcome

Accepted Answer

Rhi first met James when he attended a GIS session with Bistrot Pierre at the Job Centre in Devonport. He was fully engaged during the session and demonstrated a strong motivation to pursue a career in hospitality. Keen to make a good impression, James registered for several behind-the-scenes English Tourism Week tours, including visits to Bistrot Pierre, Dartmoor Zoo, Plymouth Gin Distillery, and the National Marine Aquarium. Throughout the sessions, he remained highly engaged, asking thoughtful questions of employers and taking on board valuable industry insight. Following these experiences, James successfully secured an interview with Warrens. Rhi supported him with interview preparation, including advice on interview clothing and how to access financial support. Happily, James impressed at interview and will be starting his new job very soon.

Question 6

Chloe - finding confidence and direction through the King’s Trust theatre programme

Accepted Answer

Chloe was first introduced to Welcoming Plymouth through a GIS session at Devonport Job Centre.Following this, Chloe came to meet Rhi one-to-one, she described herself as shy and unsure about her future. She was open to any kind of work, but nothing had really sparked excitement until she casually mentioned that she’d once thought about acting. Rhi introduced her to the King’s Trust Get Started in Theatre programme. Chloe jumped at the chance to build her confidence and explore a new path. From day one, she embraced every opportunity, stepping outside her comfort zone and discovering her own talent. By the end of the programme, Chloe had truly shone—gaining skills, self-belief, and a new sense of direction. At the celebration event, she said: “I’ve made so many friends who are just like me and I’m excited to see what opportunities I can continue to get involved in!”

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