Mihaela Upskills to Open New Doors

Mihaela was referred to GRoW through the Restart Scheme in May 2022 from her local Jobcentre who felt she would benefit from the supportive community that GRoW offers mums in their journey to work. Initially she was looking at going back to work after a 5 year break to have her youngest child and with GRoW’s support found work as a Cashier at Primark. Mihaela is now enrolled on a Level 2 Functional Skills English and Maths course and is looking forward to new opportunities.

Mihaela said “When I first joined GRoW I struggled with confidence, especially with language, and I felt very shy. It was a huge barrier to me moving forward with my life but GRoW became a lifeline for me, boosting my confidence with the help and support of the team connecting me with other women experiencing similar issues as myself and also through the GRoW app with its motivational quotes and support information.

GRoW helped me craft an effective CV, which ultimately led to a job opportunity at Primark. I started as a cashier in December 2022 as a Christmas job which turned into a permanent 20-hour week position. It’s been a year now, and I’m still enjoying the job.

Though I am really happy with my current role, I know I can achieve more for myself and feel I need to push myself to do more learning. Before I joined GRoW an adviser from the Jobcentre recommended a Functional Skills course to me but I didn’t feel I had the confidence then to pursue it. Since going through the GRoW Programme however, I feel different. I now feel ready to take it on and so when I learned that GRoW were able to help me access a Functional Skills I jumped at the chance! The course covers English and Maths, and upon completion, I will have a Level 2 qualification.

GRoW helped me with the whole process of enrolling on the course. They carried out two assessments with me and dealt with all of the correspondence with the course providers, Runway Training. I’m all set now to start the course online, and my aim is to work on it for 1 hour each day so I can complete it hopefully within a couple of months.

Looking ahead, I want to explore new opportunities for work. I’ve always liked the idea of working with wood or craft, maybe making my own furniture. GRoW has opened doors for me, and I’m excited to see where these new skills will take me.

GRoW has been instrumental in transforming my life. It has helped me secure employment, build confidence, and now, it’s guiding me towards further qualifications. I feel far more empowered now as a result and I am looking forward to shaping a brighter and exciting future for myself and my family.