We were able to catch up with one of our Digital Innovators Skills Programme participants, Kristine. Kristine tells us how she found the programme and what she was able to gain from the experience.
What were you doing before you started the programme?
I recently finished my A-levels and I’m now taking a gap year before going to university. Before going into the programme, I was a duty officer in my school and was trying to find another part-time job – that’s when I came across Digital Innovators.
Once you’d discovered the programme, what actually made you decide to join?
Firstly, it’s free and backed by the West Midlands Combined Authority.
“It’s also a great opportunity to get work experience through the ‘employer-based project’ and I wanted to up-skill in both soft and digital skills.”
What did you think of the training? How did it help you?
I think the training is relevant to all job types not only for digital jobs. It gave me an insight into how project-management works, how to work with a team and how to create a project proposal.
Were there any barriers or obstacles you had to overcome?
One of the personal barriers I experienced was removing my urge to copy and paste and instead write in my own words. The research element of the project proposal was also challenging and I had to learn to extract only relevant information.
I also had to overcome my desire to talk over someone and instead wait and listen before expressing my opinions.
What are you doing now?
I have applied for an Office Administrator at Altruist Enterprises and have been short-listed for an interview for the role.
I have also applied for a part-time software engineering role in Tech talent Academy.
What impact has the training had on your life?
“It has allowed me to become more comfortable in sharing my ideas. I’ve gained confidence in knowing how to apply all of the skills I have learnt.”
What are your plans for the future?
I plan to finish my training in software engineering and continue to build my portfolio.
What would you say to someone who was thinking about doing the training but wasn’t sure?
“I would say they should definitely try it! The things they will learn are beneficial to any job role they might want to pursue.”
My tip: take notes on the different soft skills and try to apply them in their project at all times. Also, always communicate with the team about their opinions and ideas – every opinion matters and others views might offer a turning point for the project proposal.
Thanks Kristine – It’s been great to hear from you!