Since 2018, Keane Premier Group has been fortunate enough to receive support from The Prince’s Trust. As demand continues to grow for health and social care services, the need to recruit the right people has become even more important. Over recent years, The Prince’s Trust has been working closely with both NHS employers and independent organisations working in health and social care to recruit the next generation of talent.
The Prince’s Trust works closely with local communities across the UK, inviting potential recruits to taster days to get a sense of what the role is about. Around 12 individuals are then chosen to become part of an employability programme, lasting approximately 4 weeks. The taster sessions are created in collaboration with the employers to reflect the opportunities they have to offer. At the end of the course, participants have the opportunity to secure jobs and apprenticeships with us.
This is how Keane Premier Group came to gain 6 apprentices to be fully trained with the company. We were lucky enough to have a lot of support from Barclays, providing us with their Connect with Work programme, helping Keane Premier Group work with The Prince’s Trust. This support has helped us to grow and work further with the local community to upskill and support young adults into work.
In 2020, we took on Gillian, 21, from Glasgow, who applied for an apprenticeship scheme through The Prince’s Trust and led to a role with Keane Premier Group on our Health and Social Care programme. Gillian previously worked for a salon, but during the pandemic realised she wanted a role with set hours, pay and holiday. She said “in my years working for the salon I always knew I loved working for people that needed help or could not do things themselves. When I started the course, I felt nervous and felt I may struggle to support people as I have learning difficulties which means I can’t process information or learn at the same pace as others”. Despite her doubts, Gillian excelled on the programme and was always enthusiastic, passionate, and ready to support her colleagues. After completing the course, Gillian was successful in gaining a job with Keane Premier Group and is looking forward to her future and continuing her career in care.
We are thankful to Barclays and The Prince’s Trust for everything they have done to help us to grow and meet our aspirations, as well as the continued work they do for local communities.