Harpreet Builds New Skills and New Hope Through Grow

Harpreet, who lives in Hillingdon, joined the Grow programme after moving to the UK from India. With support from Grow, she has completed courses including Canva and Project Management, 30 hours NHS volunteering at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, and is now applying for NHS positions while continuing to receive tailored support through Grow.

Harpreet said:

“I first heard about Grow at a jobs fair at Uxbridge College in January. I had gone there because the Jobcentre suggested I attend, as I was looking for work. When I spoke to the Grow team, they explained that they support women with education, training and employment, and I knew it was exactly the kind of help I needed.

I had qualifications from India, including a degree in Software Engineering and an MBA in IT, but I didn’t have any UK work experience. I wanted someone to help me understand what I needed to do to build my confidence and find work here.”

After discussing her goals with her Grow Adviser, Khatera, Harpreet was referred onto a range of learning opportunities that matched her ambitions.

“The first course I completed was the Canva course through Capital City College. I had never used Canva before, but I really enjoyed it. It opened my eyes to how useful it is for social media, creating designs and presentations, and it’s another skill I can now add to my CV.

After that I told Khatera that I wanted to study Project Management as well, and I have now completed that too. More recently Grow have enrolled me onto a Civil Service course to help me find opportunities in the Civil Service field. Grow understand what I’m trying to achieve, and they help me choose the right courses for my goals.”

Harpreet’s ambition has always been to work for the NHS. With Grow’s support, she completed 30 hours volunteering at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington through Grow partners, Imperial Health Charity which gave her valuable UK experience while continuing her job search.

“One of the biggest things Grow helped me with was getting into NHS volunteering. I started volunteering at St Mary’s Hospital on 1 April, and it has given me the experience and confidence I needed. I’m now applying for NHS administration jobs every day.

I completed my 30 hours of volunteering in just six weeks and was even presented with a Kind Person Award after a patient recognised my communication skills and kindness. That meant so much to me.”

Alongside training, Harpreet says the personalised support she received from the Grow team made all the difference.

“Laura helped me rewrite my CV, prepare my personal statements and practise interview questions. Even now, if I’m applying for an NHS job, I send her my application and she gives me advice. When I get an interview, she helps me prepare with mock interviews.

Because I’m new to this country, I didn’t know how to enrol on courses or what employers were looking for. Grow guided me through everything and even provided references when I needed them. Nobody had ever explained things to me like that before.”

Having experienced some difficult personal circumstances, Harpreet says Grow has supported her emotionally as well as professionally.

“Living on your own in a new country can be very difficult. There were times when I felt lonely and overwhelmed. The Grow team listened to me, encouraged me and treated me like family. They gave me emotional support as well as practical help, and that made a huge difference.”

Looking ahead, Harpreet remains focused on building a long-term career in the NHS while also exploring opportunities within the Civil Service.

“Every day I apply for NHS jobs and Civil Service roles. I’m hopeful because I now have volunteering experience, new qualifications, a much stronger CV and people who continue to support me.

*Grow has helped me so much. They didn’t just help me find courses, they believed in me, guided me and gave me the confidence to keep moving forward. I feel much more positive about my future now.”