“My husband put me in contact with the work club and that was the day that my life changed,” said a woman from Ealing Broadway, who found employment through one of the council’s job clubs.
Sarabjit Kaur moved to London in 2009 to be with her husband and, after nine years staying at home to look after their two children, decided it was time to pursue a career. But she felt at a loss where to start.
“After having two wonderful children, I felt that it was the right time to make a career of my own,” she said. “I didn’t have any experience, qualifications or even a CV.”
It was then that she went to a session of Ealing Council’s work club at Ealing Central Library.
“In May, my husband put me in contact with the work club and that was the day my life changed,” said Sarabjit. “It has been such a special part of my life because I have been able to meet new friends and the support of Diane Hines and Louise Marron at the council has been nothing short of exceptional. I felt under pressure but they both put me at ease and told me not to worry. They helped me to develop my CV and apply the transferable skills that I gained from being a former beautician. Furthermore, they helped me to develop my IT skills to the point where I am more independent and comfortable using a computer.”
Work clubs offer guidance and support to help residents with their job search, preparing a CV, application forms, as well as exploring career options or volunteering as a way of getting into work, changing career or developing skills and interests. They also refer people to vocational training and further education opportunities.
First job came after just a month
Sarabjit said: “Thanks to the dedication of the work club team, I was absolutely delighted to receive my first job offer after only a month. I took up a role as a sales assistant at Primark. I developed my customer service skills, in which the interaction with customers really helped me gain confidence and adapt to the working lifestyle in London.
“Ultimately, my future aspiration is to become a teacher, because I love working with children and helping them to unlock and fulfil their potential. To achieve this, I will have to gain numerous qualifications, starting with my GCSEs, which I hope to start studying in September.
“For the moment, I have taken up a relief role at Grange Primary School and am looking after the children during their break periods. When I achieve my GCSEs, I hope to go on to become a teaching assistant to develop my skills and get my teaching qualifications, but I’m just taking it one step at a time.”
‘Anything is possible’
“I want to set the example for my children that anything is possible if they are willing to work hard enough for it,” added Sarabjit. “And that is a value that I want to instil in them. Every parent’s dream is for their children to be more successful than them and I am no different.
“I want to thank Diane and Louise for their commitment, without them I would not be in the position that I am in now. Their confidence in me has kept me going, even when I was frustrated, they kept the faith and I’m starting to see all my hard work pay off. There is still a long way to go but, as long as I remain focused, I will get there in the end.”
More information
Ealing Council currently runs work clubs in Ealing and Northolt and supports another in Hanwell. Full details are on the council’s website.
Anyone living in the borough and looking for a job is welcome to attend any of the clubs. You do not need to make an appointment, just call-in, and start planning your journey into work.
