Restart Scheme
Recent research conducted by Experience Lab (Serco’s research company), identified that 17% of those joining the Restart Scheme had a Level 5+ qualification (e.g. HND, Degree) and may need more specialist support in finding roles that suit their academic achievement.
As a result of these findings, Serco piloted a new initiative called Restart Scheme Blue, offering additional job search support and 1:1 support through a team of Specialist Mentors for 12 weeks. To date, the scheme has supported 200+ individuals.
Shiyanth was unemployed and had a desire to work in IT. He was open to finding Admin work where he could build on his experience and his confidence. Joining the Restart Scheme in September 2023, Shiyanth was assigned to Professional Mentor Bev Nickson. During their first meeting, Shiyanth said he had been unemployed since Summer 2022 following graduation. He had been applying for many roles within IT for a year, sending over 10 job applications per day.
Shiyanth said that he had never had a “proper” interview - his only previous experience was in a group environment. Shiyanth was quite shy and had a lack of confidence which may have impacted his job search. He had been using several job sites such as Indeed, LinkedIn and Total Jobs, but was not getting responses to his applications which was demotivating and disappointing.
Working together as part of the Restart Scheme, Bev helped Shiyanth to create a CV tailored towards IT support and cybersecurity. Further support was also provided for interview preparation and a mock interview was set up with another mentor, Fiona. This mock interview helped support Shiyanth to understand the interview process, give him first-hand experience, constructive feedback and gain some confidence. Bev also worked with Shiyanth to optimise his LinkedIn profile and networking skills to find roles within the hidden job market.
Shiyanth also attended sessions with Daniel Carey, Health and Wellbeing Lead at Serco, where he attended Group and one-to-one sessions for Confidence and Self-Esteem, Why Employability Matters to Health, Motivation, Managing Stress and Resilience. He was also booked in for a haircut and financially supported to buy some interview clothing enabling him to be physically prepared for interview.
As a result of his hard work, Shiyanth was offered 4 interviews in a week and received a job offer to become an Information Barrier Administrator at an International Law Firm, starting in November 23. His journey to employment was less than 2 months.
Shiyanth now benefits from career planning through his work with Bev and has also been supported with travel expenses for a month from the Serco West Bromwich team, who are delighted he has found a role that suits his ability.
