A local Domino's Pizza store manager recently paid a visit to Gower College Swansea where he delivered an employability workshop to students from Morriston Comprehensive.
David Anderson, who manages the Gorseinon store and is Domino's youngest franchise manager, was invited to the college as part of the Kick Start Programme.
“I believe students aged 16-18 can really benefit from being in employment whilst in college as it helps them build skills that they can take into further employment,” says David. “I left school at 16 with very little qualifications and I then attended college where courses are designed to guide you into your chosen career path. Having fun in college is important but it's also very important to make sure the course you choose is related to your future plans. I believe that I can relate to these students and help them as I know what it takes to get to where you want to be.”
During the workshop, David stressed the importance of punctuality, motivation and teamwork.
"I was really pleased with the response from the students during this workshop," says Enterprise Officer Lucy Turtle. “My plan now is to liaise with David and look into the opportunity of work experience which will help develop the students' sense of routine and prepare them for college and/or employment.”
The Kick Start Programme is a new initiative developed by Gower College Swansea and aimed at Key Stage 4 students from across Swansea who enrol at college to complete a BTEC in Vocational Studies. This course enables them to study a range of different vocational pathways and gives them the opportunity to discover an area of interest that they could pursue on leaving school.
There are currently six schools taking part in the programme with each group following a bespoke course tailored to their needs. The students are experiencing subjects including forensic science, plumbing, hair and beauty, printmaking, sound recording, enterprise, catering and engineering.
“I'd like to thank Lucy and the team at Gower College Swansea for the opportunity of coming to the college to explain my career path so far, explaining what it is like to run a business and what I look for when recruiting staff," adds David. “I was overwhelmed with the response from the recent Fresher's Fayre and have received over 100 applications from students for part-time roles at Domino's in Gorseinon."