TXM Recruit BAME, Women in Transport, Community Support...
TXM Group Director Lincoln participated in the not-for-profit charity’s Career WorkOut Workshop at Stantonbury International School, Milton Keynes.
The TXM Recruit sponsored initiative invites guests from a variety of different professional backgrounds to join the day and engage with the students about their respective professions.
The unique workshop situates the guest professionals at stations around the space each faced by 2 to 4 learners. A facilitator then instructs students to ask the guests open questions about his or her personal experience of work. After 6 to 8 minutes, the facilitator then stops the conversations and directs the students to move to the next guest and begin again. This continues until they have met 7-8 guests within one hour. The ‘WorkOut’ is fast paced, easy and fun, as well as informative and helpful for the young people.
There were 240 year 10 students who took part in their first career Workout with 77 volunteer guests joining them from a variety of professions from the world of business.
We caught up with Lincoln to share his experience:
Q: How did the relationship with Worktree come about?
GL: “We were approached by Worktree through one of TXM Group’s founders Kieran Gallimore and it was quickly realised that there’s great alignment between the work they were delivering and TXM Recruit’s core values.
“The decision was then taken to support their Careers Workout Workshops, through investment and more importantly supplying personnel as volunteers to help deliver the initiative productively.”
Q: What happens during the workout workshops?
GL: “The best way to describe it is, it’s like speed dating where you’ll sit in an assembly hall and the young people are brought in. The group I was in had year 10 students join us. The students came to us in 3s & 4s and were encouraged to ask us questions about our work.
“They were asking questions such as: what your working day looks like, does my job require me to travel, do I need to speak different languages, what I earn and what I CAN earn. They asked absolutely everything.
“Most of the volunteers there on the day came from Milton Keynes and came from similar schools and backgrounds to the students we were working with. The school we attended last week, was once the biggest school in Europe and still boasts over 2200 students.
“In my group there was a former police officer, a couple of teachers and an accountant in addition to myself. The groups of volunteers were all very different and came from all walks of life.
“When we talked to the students we saw a wide variety in what they wanted when they leave school. Some want to be doctors, gymnasts, runners and football players, one wanted to be a model, some didn’t have a clue which many don’t at that age.
“So, it was a really wide variation of interests these kids displayed. There was also a really wide variety of attitudes, some kids were really engaging and some were introverted, I found it really interesting from where I was sitting.”
Q: What does the program look to achieve?
GL: “As successful professionals all the volunteers are invited along to help create career awareness as well as raise the aspirations of the students themselves.
“If I look at things from the kids’ perspective, I was exactly like them when I was their age at 15 years old.
“I come from a similar background as the kids with minimal support. Personally, I felt I could connect with the students. For many of them my story might sound familiar and I hoped it would resonate with them.
“I was brought up in a 13th floor council flat and I left school at 15 with little or no qualifications. I’ve worked hard, gained the qualifications I’ve needed along the journey.
“The message for the young people is that no matter where you are right now with your education, given the correct mindset and a willingness to work hard anyone can achieve success.
“For some of them higher education might only be a pipe dream, but university is only one pathway to success.
“We were encouraging them to see that many people have talent in other areas and if like me you don’t get the grades, but you put the right pieces in place those outcomes won’t necessarily define the rest of your life and shows you can work your way out of it.”
Q: How will TXM be involved moving forward?
GL: “So far Keiran and I have taken part, and the rest of our senior staff have agreed to donate their time.
“At some point all members of our staff will dedicate at least an hour of their working week and that is our consultants through to our directors, every member of our team have agreed to play their part and share their stories.
“Supporting these initiatives is an important part of TXM Recruit’s values and philosophy. It’s a matter of giving back to the local community through time and investment. It’s similar to our Women in Transportation Mentoring program.
“We believe it’s really important that people in our position, through luck, and hard work are able to give people our experience and also our network to help improve their future.”
