Pupils Helped to be Career Ready

Dundee City Council has again supported the Career Ready initiative by giving young people paid internships to let them see the potential work opportunities in a local authority. 

Over four weeks this summer, nine senior secondary pupils experienced different aspects of services during their internships across council and health and social care partnership teams. 

The young people benefitted from one-to-one support and guidance from a volunteer council mentor over the 18-month total period of the programme. 

In addition to the hands-on experience the young people received, they undertook mock interviews and received e-learning opportunities. They took part in a garden tidy-up for Alzheimer’s Scotland, gained life-saving skills through a course with Heartstart Discovery and also attended an awareness session with mental health charity Feeling Strong.

The young people also accompanied city centre ambassadors to see their work behind the scenes, and were also given a tour of the City Chambers and met the Lord Provost.

The young people have given their reflections at the end of the initiative.

Casey Glaister, St Paul’s RC Academy, who carried out her internship with Big Noise Douglas, said: “I was given responsibility and respect and appreciated being treated as an adult. With my knowledge of music and the fact that I also already have some experience working with children I was able to just crack on and get stuck in! I have completed this placement feeling more confident and with a better understanding of what I want to do in the future.”

Chloe Nixon, Braeview Academy, whose internship was arranged with the Learning Disabilities team, Dundee Health & Social Care Partnership, said: The two main areas I was hoping to improve on was my confidence and my communication skills. “Every week over the 4-week internship I was in a new work setting which meant I was meeting new people all the time. This meant I was continuously working on my communication, not only with the different staff but also the different service users.” 

Emily McGregor, Morgan Academy, who was based with the council’s architectural services team, said: My internship has helped me to identify that I would like to pursue a career in design where I get the opportunity to be creative. This experience has prepared me for my next steps as it has really solidified my passion and understanding of what I want to do with my life.

"I would definitely recommend the Career Ready programme to any young person struggling to get started in the working world and have really enjoyed my time with Dundee City Council.”

Joshua Izedome Memeh, St Paul’s RC Academy spent time with the internal audit team. He said: “I enjoyed being treated just like a new employee. At first, I was apprehensive talking to people older than me but gradually and it started to feel natural. I was really surprised by the amount of different work undertaken by the Council and it has opened my eyes that there are roles that exist that appeal to me. I am grateful that I have participated in the Career Ready programme as it has helped me to achieve skills and experience that I did not have which will help me when I leave school.”

Katie Ferry, Braeview Academy, worked with the city promotion team. She said: “The thing I enjoyed most about my internship was attending the Karate World Championships (WUKF). This was a great way for me to see first-hand just how the convention bureau from Dundee City Council works and what they do to ensure the event is as successful as possible. I was lucky enough to be involved in the preparations for this event. This was great to see as I felt I had a particular insight into the event.”

Libby McKenzie, Braeview Academy, worked with the Health & Community Care team. She said: “I appreciated receiving an insight into the roles of a care assistant and nurse as this has helped me to decide my future career. I found it challenging to go into an area where I had no training or experience but I overcame this by staying engaged, asking lots of questions and gaining an understanding on how to react in difficult situations.”

Poppy Leslie, Baldragon Academy, spent time with the Tayside MacMillan Improving the Cancer Journey team. She said: “This internship has prepared me for work as it has helped me develop key skills such as communication, IT skills and research skills which will all be useful for my future career.

“At the beginning of this internship I wanted to develop my communication skills and confidence. At the end of this internship, I feel more confident introducing myself to people and speaking up when working in a group. This has happened through people being supportive in meetings and group settings.” 

Rebecca How, Morgan Academy, was based with local non-profit organisation Uppertunity providing activities for adults with additional needs and learning disabilities. She said: “I enjoyed getting involved with the different art projects and seeing the individuals use their imagination to create their own designs. I particularly enjoyed being able to help them and so this internship has helped me to realise that I would like to pursue a career involving art yet at the same time supporting others.”

Sophie Watson, St John’s High School, gained experience at The Corner, a Health & Information service for young people. She said: “I feel grateful for being given the opportunity to participate in the Career Ready programme and to undertake the 4-week internship. My mentor and other members of the team helped me to get the most out of the experience as I developed skills that will assist me to get a job when I leave school. I’m still not clear what job I would like to do in future but this experience has helped me to understand that I would like a career helping young people. Simply having a substantial amount of work experience has helped to prepare me for work in the future”.

Children, families and communities convener Councillor Stewart Hunter added: “As an employer trying to encourage opportunities for young people, it is important that the council supports the Career Ready initiative. 

“This gives them invaluable insights into the work of the council, lets them understand what qualifications they will need and arms them with skills that will help in writing CVs and for interviews. 

“I wish them all well for their future and hope that their time being mentored in the council will inspire them to achieve their goals.” 

More details on the work of the Career Ready charity and paid internships are available at https://careerready.org.uk/scotland/

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