Mire Gains New Learning and Skills with Grow

Since joining Grow in October 2025, Mire has been actively working to build her skills and confidence through Grow Digital and Hillingdon Adult Education. She lives in the Hillingdon area and is exploring different job options while juggling family life.

Mire said:

“I first came to Grow because someone told me there was a course at the Children’s Centre at Oak Farm in Hillingdon. I didn’t know what it was, but I went anyway. When I got there, I saw that Grow was helping people like me who have never worked in the UK, to get ready for work. I didn’t know how to make a CV or how to apply for jobs. I learned all this in the Grow Bootcamp and I really liked it.

Before I came to the UK, I worked in lots of jobs. I started working when I was 14. I worked in a clothes factory, a design company, and later trained and worked in beauty therapy. I really loved that job. But since coming here, it’s been hard. I don’t know if my certificates are recognised. Also, I have young children and my husband works full time, so it’s not easy for me to go out and work.

Grow helped me to think about my options. I still love beauty and I would love to work in that again, but the hours don’t always fit with my family. You might have to work weekends or evenings and I need to be there to pick up my children. So now I’m also thinking about working in a school, maybe as a teaching assistant or in a nursery. I have experience with children and I think I would be good at it.

The biggest challenge for me was computers. I didn’t feel confident at all using a laptop or PC. I was scared. But Grow put me on a five-week computer course. After that, I joined another course with Hillingdon Adult Education. I finished that recently and I feel much more confident now. I can go online, use forms, and I’m even think about doing more courses.

Now I want to continue learning. I’ve signed up for another computer course and I’m also interested in childcare, childminding, and maybe doing English and maths too. Grow helps me a lot. They tell me what’s available and they can support me to apply for jobs too. I’m really happy I joined Grow. It’s free and they push us to learn. That is the best thing.