Another Great Year for Project Search

8 July 2011 was a special day for 10 young people in Norfolk as their success in taking part in an innovative work based learning course was marked with a graduation ceremony.
 
For those of you new to the organisation or who are not familiar with the project, Project Search is a government funded scheme that aims to get young peopled aged 18-24 with learning difficulties to work, sees an employer team up with a college to run a year long course that provides a mixture of work placements and classroom learning which all takes place within the workplace.  This is the second year that Norse have participated in the project with successful results. 
 
The students, who carried out three workplace rotations during the academic year gained invaluable experience and transferrable skills within departments including Bus Maintenance, Payroll, Human Resources, general administration, Catering and Community Equipment Services.
 
At the Graduation Ceremony at Head Office, Fifers lane the 10 students were presented with a certificate and commemorative watch by Paul Bonham, Commercial Director, Transport Division in front of an audience of family members, carers, mentors, managers and other Norse employees. 
 
Our thanks go out to all staff that have helped, and continue to help, make this project a huge success, and our congratulations to Sarah who has since secured employment at the Ramada Jarvis Hotel. We wish the other students every success in securing future employment.

Norse and Project Search

As Norse approaches its 3rd year as a placement provider for Project SEARCH, we thought it would be interesting to find out what happens to students once they have graduated. Many of our students have gone on to find employment after their Project SEARCH experience, and we’re delighted that we’re able to employ some of them directly after their graduation. Such is the case with Carl Nicholls; a graduate of Norse’s first intake of students in 2009, and now employed full-time as Fleet Administrator within our Transport division.

Carl, like several of the students enrolled in Project SEARCH, has Asperger’s Syndrome, and began his programme in September 2009 and graduated in the Summer of 2010. Such was Carl’s performance during his three placements within Norse’s administrative headquarters in Norwich that it seemed a natural progression for him to remain with the business in full-time employment.

Tina Higlett, Carl’s mentor during his Project SEARCH placement and now his Line Manager, says that bringing him into the Transport admin team has not only freed up capacity for other members of the team, but also given Carl an opportunity he richly deserved.

“It was clear during his placement that Carl was very capable, with excellent IT skills, and we knew that there was a job role for him within the team once this came to an end”, says Tina. “What was really important was identifying the particular tasks that Carl could carry out – tasks that require a real attention to detail, but are part of a routine – to utilise his skills allow him to be as independent as possible.”

Carl’s role encompasses a wide range of tasks, including sorting post, filing, maintaining vehicle servicing and MOT records, and recording vehicle mileages at service intervals. Always looking to develop Carl’s role, Tina suggested he manage the division’s purchase ledger. Having woven this into Carl’s routine, he is now responsible for coding and inputting incoming invoices for the whole Transport division.

A significant indication of Carl’s development is his willingness to answer the busy phones in the office. “We couldn’t have imagined Carl doing that when he first began with us”, says Tina, “but now he has the confidence to answer the phone and knows who to direct calls to when they come in; he is a real part of the team.”

Carl himself readily acknowledges the role that Project SEARCH has played in helping him into employment. “I wouldn’t have been able to step into this job without the time spent on placement through Project SEARCH”, says Carl. “It not only gave me lots of knowledge of the business, but also a great deal of confidence.”

When asked whether he is enjoying his job, the answer is a resounding “yes”, with Carl appreciative of the support that the Norse Transport team have given him, “I’ve definitely gained in confidence as the year has gone on, and a big part of this has been the faith Tina and Paul (Bonham, Commercial Director for Transport) have shown in me through developing my role and giving me more responsibility.”

Carl’s experience not only displays his own dedication and ability, but also Norse’s commitment to providing not only work placements for the duration of the Project SEARCH programme, but also genuine employment opportunities for its graduates.