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25-year-old Fiona came to us with a background in the environment. She already possessed a BSc in Environmental Biology and an NVQ in Environmental Conservation, as well as 3 years practical habitat management experience as a volunteer. She was claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and had been out of work for one and a half years before starting work on the Future Jobs Fund Scheme.
Fiona was employed by Groundwork on the Future Jobs Fund Scheme and placed with the Sherwood Energy Village. She worked as a horticultural worker and her main tasks were trimming, mowing, weeding, litter picking, digging and tree transplanting. She worked in a team of 4 with a supervisor and deputy in charge of the team. The entire team worked on the general day to day maintenance and upkeep of the site. Fiona wanted to gain practical horticultural skills through this role and was attracted by the nature and wildlife present. The group were set daily tasks and weekly objectives as a team and individually.
Fiona felt that the scheme was 'very useful, because it means I have been working outdoors, a career that I want. It also means I have had a job for 6 months and have been able to afford to pay for driving lessons - an essential skill for all the jobs I have been applying for'. Indeed, the practical skills Fiona gained as well as the driving lessons meant that when she applied for an interesting job, she was the favoured candidate. The only thing she needs to get the job is to pass her driving test, which she hopes to do in the next few weeks.
