BT Work Ready Programme helps young people in Fermanagh kick start their careers

BT’s latest Work Ready programme is offering free work placements to help young people in Fermanagh get ‘work ready’ and prepare for their future careers.

The three-week course starts in Enniskillen on Monday 26^th March and combines hands-on work experience with coaching and training. It is open to anyone aged 16 to 24, not currently in education, employment or training.

The first week of the programme is mainly office-based at the Enniskillen Telephone Exchange and focuses on building and developing key skills such as writing a stand out CV and job application, interview techniques, self-confidence and computing.This is followed by a week ‘on the job’ with work placements in different sections of BT.

In Enniskillen, this will be an opportunity to work in various on-site departments, to get an insider view of BT which could include front-line customer support, sales and marketing and project management.

The final days of the work placement are spent doing mock interviews and developing an individual plan of the next steps to find employment or return to education. Attendees are given a certificate showing their achievements to demonstrate their commitment to prospective employers.

John Scott is one of the BT Work Ready Coaches who’s promoting the programme.He says: “Young people tell us that they really feel deflated, applying for job after job, only to be told that they don’t have any experience. They’re caught in a ‘Catch 22’ situation of no experience without a job and no job to gain the necessary experience.”

Since 2014, more than 3,500 young people from around the UK have taken part in the Work Ready programme.More than half of those who have completed their work placements have gone on to find employment or return to education.

Garret Kavanagh, Acting Managing Director of NI Networks, says: “BT work placements give local young people the opportunity to experience the working day and gain invaluable insight of what’s expected in the workplace.

“I’m proud to see so many people in BT volunteer and get involved, passing on valuable insights which will help these young people develop the skills they need to find employment.

“There will be more opportunities to join a local work placement and I’d encourage anyone thinking about taking part to register your interest and make sure you don’t miss out.”

To find out more or to apply visit www.bt.com/workready.

ENDS

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For media enquiries, please contact:

Rosy Billingham, PR Manager for BT in Northern Ireland, by email rosy.billingham@bt.com or phone 07968 904635