TNG helps deliver Liverpool teenager from benefits to new restaurant career

Katie Pritchard, 19, from Speke, has made the leap from unemployment to career girl, with help from TNG, a national welfare to work training provider, with offices in Old Hall Street and Harrington Street.

Katie had been searching for work for two years, with no success. She felt that her lack of experience was affecting her chances of being invited for an interview, and this in turn led to a lack of motivation.

However, Katie was determined to make some changes to her life, and began a catering course at Liverpool Community College to gain additional qualifications. The next step in finding work involved enrolling with TNG, where she was assigned to her own adviser, Phillip Rogers.

Katie had a meeting with Phil, and together they assessed Katie’s barriers to work. She acknowledged that applying for jobs, sometimes not even getting a reply, had affected her motivation, and also realised that it had an adverse affect on her confidence. Together, they drew up a step-by-step plan to help Katie remain focused on her target of securing employment, and put it into action.

Katie began searching for work with renewed vigour, using her catering course as a starting point. Not wanting a dead-end job, she started looking for work that would tie in with her course, and lead her towards a career.

A vacancy for Katie was found for the position of commis chef at San Carlo, an Italian restaurant on Castle Street in Town, and knew this was an opportunity she couldn’t pass up. Katie applied for the role, but was nervous about the interview. She worked with Phil, practicing interview techniques until she felt fully prepared.

She was delighted when she received the call offering her a job, just two weeks after joining TNG. Katie is now combining her part-time catering course with working at the restaurant, and looking forward to continuing her chef career. She said, “I was applying for jobs, but a lack of experience and qualifications resulted in negative responses. It really affected my motivation, but I hadn’t realised how much it affected my confidence too. Working with Phil at TNG made a huge difference. I had an action plan to keep me motivated and someone to remind me how much I have to offer an employer. Best of all, it’s the first step to a real career in the catering industry. I’m very excited about my future, and maybe one day I’ll be running my own restaurant.”

Jane Brade, TNG Area Manager for Merseyside, said, “Katie was downhearted after two years of applying for jobs, and sometimes not even receiving an acknowledgement. It was clear she had a lot to offer, but needed some focus. We worked with her to create a plan, so she could view her progress and stay motivated. Katie has proved just what can be achieved with motivation, ambition and structured, tailored support.”