Stuart gets green fingers with Fair Start Scotland

‘’I would highly recommend joining Fair Start Scotland as without them I would still be looking for a job.”

Stuart working with Roots N Shoots

Why Stuart joined Fair Start Scotland service

Stuart joined the service for support with his jobsearch. He had been held back from applying from roles as he was very low in confidence and struggled to get noticed by employers.

Stuart had studied Horticulture in College and he knew he wanted a role that involved hands-on gardening work. After meeting with Engagement Consultant Clare McFarlane and hearing how Fair Start Scotland can help him, Stuart was eager to get started.

How Fair Start Scotland helped

Stuart met with Louise, Personal Adviser from our Dunfermline office, who began looking at developing his CV to make it more tailored for gardening jobs. Stuart needed support with completing online applications in particular the competency-based questions – this is where he struggled the most.

Louise had connections with local gardening companies and was able to set up a work trial for Stuart with ‘Roots N Shoots’ Gardening Company. When he was offered with the opportunity Stuart was delighted – it meant that he could show them what he could do. On the lead up to the trial, Louise supported Stuart by making sure he would be confident enough to show all his skills and complete all the tasks.

Getting the job

The work trial went extremely well and Stuart was offered full-time employment with Roots N Shoots. He was over the moon with his new job and his confidence has come a long way from when he began.

Stuart says “Before I went to Fair Start Scotland I was struggling to find a job, every job I applied for I would never get a response, but when I did join the service, Louise helped me get a job in no time!

A month has passed, and I am still enjoying working with Roots N Shoots and I still get support from Louise to this day. I would highly recommend joining Fair Start Scotland as without them I would still be looking for a job.”

Stuart’s manager Shaun said “Stuart has been a fantastic addition to the team. He has settled in very well and is continuing to make good progress, we wouldn’t hesitate to come to StartScotland again for future jobs.”

Well done Stuart!