DFNProject SEARCH/HFT Flintshire 25+’s Post

Hello everyone, This week is Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024! To celebrate this, I recently spoke to Finley an intern on the ClwydAlyn Project Search programme. For his Second Rotation Finley has been working as a Kitchen Assistant in local Care Home. Please read below to hear about his experiences on his rotation..... Hi my name is Finley, for my Second rotation I have been working as a Kitchen Assistant in a Local Care Home. My day to day tasks include: Cleaning surfaces, laying the tables and serving the puddings to the residents and folding the napkins. I also put out the sauces, Load and unload the dishwasher, preparing the vegetables, helping to make the sandwiches and grating the cheese. Making sure the kitchen is tidy by putting things away, helping to clean the fridge and putting the food away in the fridge. What things have you found difficult on your rotation? I have found it difficult to learn how to move things safely I now a trolley to help me. I also found folding the napkins quite tricky as its quite fiddly so I asked for help with this. Setting the tables up quickly has also been hard. What skills have you learnt on your rotation? I have learnt about Customer Services and Product presentation and improved my skills in both of these areas. My listening skills have gotten better by listening to the staff and residents. I have also improved my peeling skills. What have you been doing on Project Search this term? Recently I attended a reverse Jobs fair and met with employers and talked about my skills and experience. I have completed my Food Hygiene Level 2 and a first Aid awareness course. We have done some classroom work on Health and Safety and done a bit of interview practise. For my rotation I had an interview which we prepared for by going through the questions before hand this made me feel prepared. Well done Finley you are doing amazing on your rotation! Please keep an eye out on this page to see more Positive news stories from our amazing interns/People we support! ClwydAlyn Hft Flintshire County Council DFN Project SEARCH #neurodiversitycelebrationweek #disabilityawareness #disabilityinclusion #supportedemployment #employmentopportunities #employability #employabilityskills #dfnprojectsearch #neurodiversity #neurodiversityatwork #supportedinternships

After working in over 8 different jobs—from selling uniforms to retail, F&B, dishwashing and others—primarily for financial reasons, I’m confident to say that my internship and subsequent part-time position with NTUC Club's UPlay Business Development Team has been the highlight of my working journey so far! This experience has been fantastic for my personal growth and professional development, offering a true sense of holistic development beyond just monetary gains. Here are the three key working values I have learned and observed from my colleagues in my department that I would like to share: • 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. My colleagues have shown me the value of working in a closely-knit department. Everyone tries to bring each other up and help each other, prioritising collective success over individual motives. Despite having busy schedules and deadlines to meet, my superiors always found time to guide me, and were always willing to share their knowledge. This positive work environment fostered collective success and continuous learning. • 𝗗𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲. Being between the Business Development and Marketing teams, I have seen how my superiors always strive to deliver the best service to their clients, both externally and internally. They often go the extra mile to provide added value wherever they can, and worked late hours whenever needed to ensure client satisfaction. This has truly opened my eyes to the meaning of being truly dedicated to one's craft. • 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. Observing my colleagues' dedication and enthusiasm for their roles has taught me the significance of finding passion and purpose in work. Their commitment to the team’s goals and the positive impact of their efforts have inspired me to seek fulfilment and meaning in my own tasks. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to be part of team with amazing colleagues and for the lessons and growth I've experienced here. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey with me. #ProfessionalGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #Gratitude #Mentorship #Teamwork

3 subtle things I have picked up from an Expo 1. Few people ask interesting and personal questions that trace a company representative's past experiences within the company. Such questions often reveal far more factual information than what representatives were asked to memorise beforehand. 2. Pay attention to how people break eye contact with you: eyes to the sides = not interesting conversation. 3. Company representatives are far more relaxed and, thus, receptive to interpersonal connections when not behind the podium. Meet them where they are not in their company mode(Water Fountain)

What was your worst summer job? I always wanted to be the cool summer camp counselor (Bill Murray in Meatballs) but settled for working alone in a field at a Christmas tree farm. I wore shin pads so my machete wouldn't cut me and heavy boots so if I stepped on a snake it couldn't bite me. There was zero cool in a field and I hope my kids learn the same lessons. 1. Stay in school. Sitting in class learning with your friends is a privilege. 2. Work is not always fun. Bosses are not always fair. 3. 1 HR in a field to buy a Big Mac is not a wise trade. Needs Vs. Wants. 4. The work ethic you develop now will last a lifetime. 5. Offer to do more. Those are the kids who get to 'supervise' next year. If you think snake boots won't help you get into that College, or land that Internship you're wrong. Recruiters like me want to see stability, work ethic, progression, and ambition. Get your kids off the couch, out of the house, and earning valuable experience. Snake boots come in all sizes. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ran a great series on celebrities worst summer jobs. Kevin Hart shares a funny story here (https://lnkd.in/gDC6YdC6)

I attended a meeting today of the Project Search Business Advisory Council, a cooperative program between Holmen High School and the host business, Gundersen Health System as well as DVR, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and Aptiv. This program provides fully immersive realistic job experience to develop employability skills for students with disabilities. The interns report to Gundersen, participate in 90 minutes of classroom employability skills training and then go to an assigned department for 5 hours of work experience where they are provided job training. These interns complete 3-10 week rotations in various departments at Gundersen and graduate the program after nine months. The meeting today included discussion of how we can we find jobs for these interns after they complete the program. know there are some businesses that are concerned about risk, but there is risk in every hire we make. And while statistics vary, a good portion of our population is made up of folks with an undiagnosed disability. What is riskier -- the known or the unknown? Below is a photo of some of the Holmen students who have gone through the program. Why wouldn't anyone not want to hire these interns?

I spent hours preparing for an Expo. Here is what really works. 1. Set the right goal. They are not hiring you on the spot; they are not saying anything you can't google at home. Set a goal for networking. 2. Focus on learning about the company and the person you are speaking with. Ask about their last project, how they got into the company, and how they grew in the role. 3. Have a few generic questions in case your mind goes blank. Try Tim Ferris's "If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it, what would it say and why?" 4. Making appropriate jokes. Stop robotically reciting whatever questions you prepared. Pulling a leg would do much more service to connect than a question like "What is the culture like in the company?" 5. Write down a few points after talking to one company. They would come in handy when you connect on Linkedin

🌟 Empowering the Future Workforce: The Case for Fair Wages in Co-ops and Internships 🌟 As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, internships and co-op placements are more critical than ever for students and new graduates to gain the necessary experience and skills. However, it's time we address a pressing issue: fair compensation for these invaluable roles. This insightful article from CBC highlights the real struggles interns face, often working full-time hours without adequate pay. It’s a call to action for employers to recognize the immense value these young professionals bring and ensure they are compensated fairly for their hard work. Fair wages for co-op students and interns are not just about providing financial support; they are about valuing the contributions of the next generation, fostering a culture of respect, and ensuring equal opportunities for all. Let's invest in our future leaders by paying them what they deserve. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gCTVKqwN

I was in my last class for the semester. We discussed ending our internships and starting the next steps in life, such as getting a job. 💴 My professor looked at all of us and said "Your boss shows you that they appreciate you by giving you a paycheck each week. 💜 I brought this story up at my recent workshop with Sweetwater Construction Corp.. In this workshop, we focused on gratitude and appreciation. We focused on how we are currently showing gratitude and appreciation to one another. 🤔 Out of a 2,000-person survey, 46% said they left their job because they felt under-appreciated. When we spoke about this statistic, at Sweetwater Construction Corp. they realized how they have the awareness and skills to show their employees appreciation. 💪 💛 💜 At the end of the workshop, we discussed different ways to practice gratitude in the workplace. Their workshop was followed up by individual coaching. Email: Jessica@JourneyToYourself.net https://lnkd.in/ePzXkc3s

Let's dive into the realm of internship etiquette and uncover the dos and don'ts that can make or break your professional experience. The TLDR; we have a bunch of free resources for interns. Do you know how much your co-workers make? Have you ever taken an unpaid internship? Do you work overtime at your job to finish your tasks? These and many more money questions are answered by Gen Z'ers across the US every day. Our main feature - Question of the Day - is meant to give you insights on how people just like you answer to the most awkward money questions. But we're not stopping there! If you're falling behind, we have Frich-vetted resources prepared just for you😉 We’re always open to partnering with teams who want to help Gen Z make better & more informed decisions! https://lnkd.in/dXFcgc4P #genzfinance #genzfintech #genz #femalefounded #internships #jobs

We have started to hire interns more frequently at our agency, and it turned out that a significant number of people come to us seeking temporary earnings. This is not the story at all, and now I'll explain why. An intern is someone who wants to acquire a new profession. In a new profession, you can't immediately start earning significantly; you need to be trained. During the training period (which varies for everyone but spans months or even years), you take up more time from your mentors than you contribute. This doesn't mean that interns aren't paid, but it does mean that their compensation is minimal, and they invest their effort and time into being able to earn well with this profession in the future. If you will, it's an investment. It's foolish to invest your effort and time only to deliberately forsake earnings from this investment. You can try it and understand that it's not for you, which happens, but you can't initially count on it as a temporary source of income. Temporarily, it's better to earn either through your existing skills or through unskilled labor. Thank you for your attention :)