Alessia: Accessing Support and Exploring Opportunities

Alessia began her working life early, spending weekends during school as a dog groomer with Cutz 4 Mutz in Largs. After leaving school, she moved into hairdressing and spent several years building work experience. Eventually, she felt ready for a change of pace but wasn’t sure which direction to take next.

To explore new career options, Alessia registered with CEIS Ayrshire. Working closely with her Key Worker, Steven, she identified potential pathways that matched her interests and strengths. Steven supported her in creating an updated CV and cover letter and enrolled her in several online training courses through our TrainMe platform. Alessia successfully completed:

• Customer Service
• Facebook for Business
• Sales Skills
• TikTok for Business

These courses helped her build a strong foundation of professional skills and boosted her confidence as she prepared for a new career.

Creating Opportunities

As part of our commitment to supporting young people into employment, CEIS Ayrshire works closely with local authorities and employers. North Ayrshire Council introduced the Personal Recruitment Incentive (PRI) to help businesses create meaningful job opportunities for young people in the area.

One of the roles made available through this initiative was an Admin position with Opal Access. Martine, our Business Services Officer, worked with Opal Access to bring this opportunity to our clients. Alessia expressed interest, applied for the role, and successfully secured the job.

Since joining Opal Access, Alessia has progressed quickly. She now works full‑time as an Office Administrator and has become head of a department.

Alessia reflecting on her journey:

At the beginning, my journey was challenging because I wasn’t sure what career path suited me. However, CEIS Ayrshire supported me in identifying my interests and strengths, and helped match me with the right career opportunity. That guidance made a big difference in where I am today.

 

There are many opportunities for me to continue growing within the company, and I am motivated to keep developing my skills and progressing even further in my career.

 

I’m proud of how far I’ve come in a short space of time, and I’m excited about the future.

Employer Feedback – Carly from Opal Access

Since joining the team, Alessia has shown clear growth in both confidence and performance. She has become more comfortable in her role, takes initiative with day-to-day tasks, and requires less guidance than when she first started.

 

Her communication has improved, and she engages more confidently with colleagues and external contacts. Overall, she has settled in well and continues to develop positively within the role.

The impact of Partnerships

Strong partnerships are essential in creating opportunities like Alessia’s. By working closely with local employers and bridging the gap between businesses and young people through funding initiatives such as the PRI, we help strengthen the local economy and support the development of a skilled, confident workforce.

Opal Access embraced the opportunity to create a new role and has continued to invest in Alessia’s growth, providing her with valuable skills for the future. They join many other employers who have used the PRI fund to support young people into meaningful employment, providing opportunities for the young workforce.

Start Your Journey

If you’re looking for support to get into work or take the next step in your career, or you are an employer looking to develop your workforce, please get in touch.