Vidya Discovers New Confidence with GRoW

Vidya moved to the UK from India in July 2024 with her husband and two children. She previously worked as a hospitality manager and is keen to find similar work in the UK. Vidya has found support and guidance through GRoW and has attended the GRoW Bootcamp and undertaken a customer service course to help her achieve her goal. Vidya is now working as as an eVisa champion for Ealing and Hounslow CVS as well as searching for part time and full time work.

Vidya said “I first heard about GRoW when I went to a jobs fair in Feltham. I was searching for job opportunities online and found out about the event. At the jobs fair, I met Saeema and the GRoW team. They told me about the GRoW Bootcamp and the other support they could give me. I decided to join because I wanted to find work and learn more.

Before coming to the UK I used to work as a hospitality Manager for a corporate serviced apartment. When I moved here, I started searching for jobs, but it was hard because I didn’t know where to begin. I was originally interested in part time work but since going to the job fair I realised that availability of full time opportunities are more than part time jobs, and decided to apply for full time work.

Being part of GRoW and taking part in the Bootcamp was very good. I learned so many things, like where to find jobs in my area and how to feel more confident when applying for them. The team was very kind and helped me a lot. They made me feel like I could do this. There were lots of activities, and they gave me the push I needed to start applying for jobs.

GRoW also helped me with my CV. Karen ran an online session where she explained everything about writing a good CV, and Saeema helped me put it all together. Now, I have a CV that I can use to apply for jobs.

I also completed a customer service course. It was about hospitality and catering services, and I learned a lot that will help me in my next job. This course gave me more confidence and refreshed my knowledge about the industry.

The GRoW team is not just a community; they feel like family to me. They take care of me and make me feel supported. Every day, I am applying for jobs, and even though I haven’t found one yet, I feel positive. I know I will get there because of the confidence and support GRoW has given me. I have started volunteering work in December as an eVisa champion for Ealing and Hounslow CVS which is helping me to gain some work experience and a boost for my CV.

Thank you to everyone at GRoW for all your help. I hope to find a full-time job soon, and I am very grateful for everything you have done for me.”