HARDA in partnership with Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre and trainer HARDA Job Search Post Training Activity Mohammed Sabsabi (DDM3 Consulting), have just completed the first phase of a pilot Job Training Program: 10 training sessions to assist people from a Horn of African background 20yrs and over to obtain the knowledge and skills to assist them to seek and gain employment. The training was tailored to the individual knowledge, skills and experience and career aspirations of each of the 11 job seeking participants.
The training program was designed to help participants to:
- Use their existing knowledge, skills and experience to find their ideal job
- Learn to use different strategies and tools to look for job opportunities
- Learn how to increase your network contacts within the field you want to be employed
- Learn how to write a personalised resume and cover letter for each job you apply for
- Learn what employers expect of you and what you should expect from employers
- Learn effective inter skills and techniques
As a result of the training program participants now have
- Their own job search plan and clear career goals
- Their own customized resume and covering letter
- A checklist of the key interview questions and key responses
- Strategies to promote their skills and experience to employers
- Confidence to seek and apply for jobs that meet your career goals
To acknowledge their commitment to the program each participate received a certificate of completion and to celebrate this achievement HARDA and project partner Liverpool Migrant Resource Centre help a Picnic and day of Soccer at Chipping Norton Lakes (See photos).
Phase two of the project; a 10 week mentoring program has just begun. The program aims to connect job seekers to mentors to provide individual support to follow on the completion of the job training. The role of the mentors will be to support job seekers to look for work and progress towards their career, education and life aspirations. Mentors will be matched with a job seeker and provide regular support (via phone and/or email and face to face depending on what works for the mentor and job seeker). The aim of the mentoring component is to encourage the job seekers to keep motivated and committed to using the skills they have gained in their training to look for job opportunities and provide post-employment support until the program concludes in November 2015. The mentors will also support job seekers to link with professional networks and attend professional networking events.