John Taylor’s journey with the Foundation of Light’s Youth Employment Hub is a testament to how far determination, when combined with the right support, can take you in the world of work.
Recognising his impressive achievement in achieving his career goals, John has been selected as one of the Foundation of Light's Wear 25 award winners for January.
Unlike many supported by the Youth Hub, John already had clear career goals when he joined. Passionate about buses, he aspired to become a bus driver, but his automatic-only driving licence limited his opportunities.
His employability coaches reached out to Tyneside Training Services to explore suitable training options and quickly received a response about a Category C licence bootcamp that accommodated individuals with automatic licences.
While John worked on his driving course, Foundation employability coaches supported him in developing other key skills for the job search process. This included tailored guidance on CV writing and interview techniques, as well as one-to-one support with job applications.
John stood out throughout his time in the Youth Hub for his determination, which never wavered despite several setbacks. He was also well-mannered and had a clear passion for his chosen industry, which the Youth Hub team looked to build on.
Employability coaches arranged work experience placements at a bus company in Gateshead and arranged volunteering with Betsy Jenny Wellbeing Café in Sunderland to offer IT support, which helped strengthen his CV and gave him practical experience in being part of a workforce.
Upon completing his driving bootcamp, John obtained a Category C driving licence, and the team then supported him in applying for a bus driver role with Go North East.
John tackled every stage of the application process with enthusiasm and nailed his interview thanks to techniques practiced in Youth Hub workshops.
John was informed he was successful in later January, starting his dream job as a bus driver in March. Just a week in, he has already fed back with his employability coaches that he is loving his job.
Players from the Emerging Talent Centre, Player Development Club, and Female Scholarship programmes, ranging from U13s to U18s, took part in a week-long training camp in the Netherlands.
Anya Jarvis has been awarded one of February’s Wear 25 awards recognising her continued commitment to community work through the Premier League Kicks sessions at Boldon Community Association.
Sunderland AFC supporters are being given the chance to own a match-worn home shirt from the club’s Premier League return season, while raising funds for the Foundation of Light.