Kickstart Case Study - Rhys Herdsman
Over the last year H1 Healthcare are proud to have pledged to the Young Person’s Guarantee, a commitment to provide opportunities for all 16-24 year olds in Scotland through jobs, apprenticeships, further and higher education, training programmes and volunteering. This is part of our wider commitment to widening access to the care sector across the UK by providing pathways into permanent employment with us.
H1 Healthcare Group has managed this partly through the UK Government-backed Kickstart programme – offering young people the chance to explore a career in the care industry, both in frontline roles as well as business support roles. Each candidate receives 6 months of paid placement, training and development with a dedicated Kickstart consultant to ensure every Kickstart superstar has the guidance and support they need.
We’ve been blown away by the talent and professionalism we’ve seen coming through the Kickstart programme, so much so that some candidates have already been offered full-time jobs within the company. Today we’ll be sitting down with another one of these Kickstart superstars - Rhys Herdsman. Rhys came to H1 Healthcare as he sought a career in healthcare. While initially (self-confessed) quiet and reserved, as the weeks went on Rhys began to come out of his shell. When he went on placement he started to flourish and fulfill all the potential he had always shown during training. Rhys has been commended for always being reliable and hard working and has quickly become a key asset to the Homecare team in Aberdeen.
We sat down with Rhys and asked him a couple of questions about what brought him to H1 Healthcare Group and how he’s found the whole experience.
Before H1
What were you doing before H1? (working / volunteering / benefits)
I was receiving Universal Credit and searching for work.
How did you feel about life?
I was unsatisfied and feeling down about struggling to find a job.
What were your ambitions?
To achieve financial stability and find a satisfying job where I am able to help people.
During
How did you hear about H1 job?
My work coach and the Prince’s Trust put me in touch with H1.
How was the recruitment process?
Very easy and informative, I never felt confused or had any concerns going into it.
What did you learn? I have learned, along with all the care-related skills, to work positively and successfully in a small group to provide support and empathy to individuals.
How did you feel during training? I always felt supported by my colleagues and management and this alleviated any anxiety I may have felt.
After
What’s the plans for the future? To continue to learn in this environment and remain with H1.
Would you recommend H1 to your peers?
Definitely!
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us Rhys – we are all thrilled that you’re part of the H1 Family!
Rhys is just another example of many Kickstart superstars we’ve had join us recently, and with the next wave of Kickstart candidates starting their placements, we can’t wait to see what else the future holds with such an exciting programme!
