Stoke City Community Trust is providing education and employment pathways for individuals to realise their dreams.
Stoke’s apprenticeship programme, which began back in 2005, has supported over 80 young people in Stoke realise their potential. For many of the apprentices, it has been a significant journey in their progression to work.
Taylor Oakley aged 19 commenced work with the Trust as a volunteer before progressing to a traineeship. A traineeship is a 12-week training programme run by many Football Clubs that developed people’s work-based skills and build their confidence so they are ready to start their careers. The traineeship helped Taylor gain more confidence and nurtured her skills as a Community Coach. Immediately, Taylor showed a great work ethic and desire to develop as a coach and was quickly progressed and offered a paid Kickstart position, where once again she impressed all those within the Trust. Her ability and passion were evident, no matter the position she held within the Trust and she credits this to being involved in something she loves.
With an obvious pathway at Stoke City, her journey has since blossomed to the Level 2 Community Activator apprenticeship with hopes of moving onto Level 3 and then into further education with the foundation degree.
She said:
“Since being with Stoke City Community Trust I have learnt that there are endless opportunities for everyone! One qualification leads to another and there is always someone to support you if you need it.”
Taylor has excelled in every position she has held but working for Stoke was a dream she didn’t know she had, and she aspires “to become a full-time coach within the community, I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.”
Another individual who has embarked on a journey with Stoke City Community Trust is 19-year-old Irslan Mohammad. Irslan was referred to the Trust by his local Job Centre where he was interviewed for the Community Communication role as part of the Kickstart scheme. Although he was successful in the interview, after just one week in the role it was evident that Irslan was destined for another path as his passion for in coaching within the local community shone through. Consequently, when his Kickstart role ends on the 7th February and he is taking up the pathway to his ideal role and becoming an Apprentice in the Community Trust.
For Irslan, although initially, his role wasn’t the right fit, Stoke were able to offer him a pathway that was better suited to him as an individual.
He said:
“My career aspiration is to develop my coaching skills by going on to my level 1 and 2.”
More so, the role has opened his eyes to the impact Community Trusts have within their locality. He said: “I’ve learnt many things such as the history of the football club and how the club gives people opportunities to get involved in many Community Trust sessions for them to learn and experience something special.”
Both Taylor and Irslan will hope to continue their impressive journeys with Stoke City Community Trust beyond the end of their apprenticeships.
