Press Release

BRIGHTON MUM SCOOPS NATIONAL CAREER AWARD

10 November 2007

An unemployed Brighton mum of four has beaten off tough competition to win a national career development award.

After being out of work for almost 10 years bringing up her children, Marianne Harris has been presented with a bursary of £750 from occupational psychologists JCA Ltd to spend on developing her career.

The 42-year-old received her award at the National Careers Awards ceremony in Solihull on 9 November. Marianne, of Findon Road, won the award for demonstrating that she had turned her life around after completing a maps+ training programme. This is a psychometric testing tool designed specially by JCA for organisations that help people who have been out of work for a significant amount of time, or who have never worked, to realise their untapped potential.

Marianne’s accomplishment is extra special as it is the first time in the 10 year history of the National Career Awards, co-ordinated by the Institute of Career Guidance, that the achievement of an individual helped by careers advisors opposed to someone within the career guidance profession has been recognised.

Her journey back into work started at her children’s primary school. For it was here that she met Lauren Logue, a consultant from employment provider, Working Links, who was handing out leaflets on the free programmes the company runs in Brighton to help lone parents such as Marianne back into work. When Marianne came to their Brighton office in Whitehawk, she attended a tailor made course to help lone parents consider their opportunities, received advice on personal presentation, writing her CV and interview technique. But the maps+ workshop that Lauren organised for her to assess her skills, aptitudes, personality traits and learning style was the most inspirational part of the package for Marianne.

“Before I came to Working Links and was evaluated on the maps+ programme I did not feel confident looking for anything but administrative jobs as I had been out of work for such a long time.

“Having to raise four children on my own, largely on benefits, made me feel that on re-entry to the job market I would have little to offer a potential employer. However, once the results revealed my strong organisational and leadership qualities together with my ability to relate well to people, I felt inspired to apply for a position as a trainee manager for a local convenience store.”

She went onto say: “The course gave me the confidence to ‘blow my own trumpet’ and tell my potential employer what I was good at and what transferable skills I could bring to the role; despite having no previous experience of having worked in retail.”

For Marianne, the best part is being able to dedicate some time and thought to what she might like to do to further develop her potential. “After years of only thinking for my kids, it’s great to have some money behind me. I know I’m going to spend part of it on my gym membership but for the rest of it, I’m going to enjoy thinking on how I can use the money for the best – a nice problem to have after years of watching the pennies”. And with her £750 award from JCA, being rounded up to £1,000 by Working Links who are equally delighted with her achievement, she’s got some thinking to do!

Peter Nursten of Best One Convenience Stores, Brighton recognised her potential and took her on straight away when the store opened in July. Four months on, he does not regret his decision describing Marianne as an “ambitious and hard working individual, the type that you don’t see every day”. And is the first to congratulate her on her win.

Bill Davies of JCA Ltd, who created the bursary, is swift to follow, “Marianne’s story symbolises what we wanted to achieve by creating maps+. For us the programme is a tool to help organisations such as Working Links engage with people who for whatever reason may be finding it difficult to progress into work, further education or training. And quickly identify how they can be helped to achieve their goals in way which suits their personality and learning styles. The maps+ programme not only provides people with a bespoke action plan, but it also boosts their self esteem. For Marianne to graduate from the course with the confidence to not only apply for, but be successful at interview for a managerial position after years out of work is exactly the sort of result we want to see from maps+ and organisations such as Working Links who use it. We wish Marianne all the best in her new career.”

Lauren Logue, Marianne’s personal consultant, is equally congratulatory. “Marianne’s positive, go-getting attitude made her a delight to work with and I’m thrilled that the maps+ workshop I arranged for her as part of our advice and support programme had such a dramatic affect in turning her life around.”

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