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My Journey to Employment
The following has been written by one of our 6th Form students, Paige, about the progress she is making towards getting her dream job of being a Teaching Assistant.
Paige read the following piece out to some of the 62 local businesses who have signed up to our Pathway to Employment programme and our Business Network.
“Wednesday was a big day for KS4 and 6th Form pupils at Brookfields; it was interview day! As part of Career’s week, pupils came into school, dressed in their smartest clothes and, having prepared for weeks for the interviews, we were ready.
While some of the students stayed in school to be interviewed or went elsewhere, a few of us went to Flint 
House in Goring, including myself. Flint House is a huge mansion that helps and rehabilitates sick and injured police officers, both serving and retired.
Brookfields have had an ongoing relationship with Flint House as it is one of our supporters and providers of work experience to our students so, because of this, Flint House was chosen as a brilliant location to hold interviews for the pupils.
5 students, including myself, were driven to Flint House in the morning by two members of staff (one who is part of Brookfield’s Way2Work team and the other a teaching assistant).
When we arrived to the beautiful and rather peaceful house, which was surrounded by acres of nature and ancient trees, it immediately put me at ease. Once we signed ourselves in, we were then lead to a quiet room, waiting ever so patiently for our interviewers to arrive.
Then, they did arrive and we met each other with gleaming smiles! One of the interviewers was Tom McAuslin, who has been CEO of Flint House since 2011. The other interviewer was Sandra Faulkner, who is the manager of HR. Once we were welcomed with open arms, we were left to look through our papers before being interviewed.
Within a few minutes, I was called to have my interview. A slight surge of nervousness came over me but once I was in the room having the interview, I was cool, calm and collected straight away! I coped extremely well in my interview and I answered my questions well. Hopefully they were impressed!
Once everyone had had their interviews, we were welcomed to have a much-needed and well-earned lunch of a slap-up roast. Delicious!
With our stomachs full, we made our way back to the quiet room. Then Tom and Sandra came to us to tell us how fantastically we all did and a massive well done. He also gave some brilliant advice about interviews, such as being prepared for what your answers may be and what your question for them will be and also remembering that it’s ok to be a little nervous because interviewers will be a bit nervous too; it’s just making sure that nerves don’t take over.
Before leaving, we became brief models as we posed for a photo of all of us together and then we set off, saying ‘good bye’ and ‘thank you.’ Overall, it was a fabulous day and a great lesson for all of us. I know for sure that I will carry what I have learnt from the experience and use what I have learnt well!”
If you would like to know more about our Pathway to Employment programme, please contact us on 0118 942 1382
