Will has completed a 6-month placement at Protein Package , an innovative enterprise based in the West Midlands. Will has provided an account of his experience with the kickstart scheme and his placement below:
After completing my A-levels in the summer, I decided to take a gap year before going on to study sports and exercise science at university. Therefore, I was keen to use this year well, by gaining real-life experience in the industry, enhancing my skills and earning a bit of money at the same time.
This meant the Kickstart scheme was perfect for my needs as it ticked all of these boxes but also gave me the flexibility to have time to do other things in my free time.
I applied for the Warehouse Assistant Kickstart placement provided by Protein Package in September 2021. Later that day I received a call from George asking if I would come in for an interview and take a closer look at what the role would entail. After my first session, I really enjoyed the role and knew I would be working with a friendly, positive team.
Some of the roles I have undertaken have been helping to organise and pack orders that Protein Package receives, gaining a better understanding of how to start and maintain a successful online business, communicating with customers via email and keeping the products in the warehouse organised.
This Kickstart scheme has also provided me with valuable insight into the aspects of work and running a business that I had not realized before such as: maintaining a professional and positive relationship with every customer, improving SEO on your website, the process of ordering new products, how products prices are decided and many more things. I have also gained support in developing my employability skills by attending online sessions with my Kickstart Coach at Steps to Work. Within the sessions, we have updated my CV, designed a cover letter template, prepared for interviews and looked into voluntary work to enhance my sports and exercise knowledge.
Six months later, I secured a permanent role at Protein Package, allowing me the opportunity to further develop my professional skill set and experience.
George Greenhill – Founder and CEO of Protein Package:
William Kay has been fantastic, he started off with packing customer orders and replenishing inventory but has since started helping us with website development, writing optimised product content and professional photography for new brands we’ve taken on such as PER4M Whey and Fibre One.
Through the Kickstart scheme, Will also received one-to-one support from his Steps to Work Kickstart coach. The sessions have provided Will with comprehensive support, enhancing his future employability.
We would like to thank Steps to Work, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) but most of all, William himself – especially with this being his first official job after school. We look forward to supporting William in his future endeavours, once he’s completed his degree, we are sure there will be a chance of further employment as we grow as a company – potentially as a nutrition expert linking to his university course!
About Kickstart Scheme:
Steps To Work are an official Gateway for the Kickstart Scheme, helping local employers access Government funding to create job placements for young people.
Launched by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), the Kickstart Scheme is a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high-quality 6-month work placements for young people aged 16 to 24. The Scheme will play employers 100% of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours per week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment contributions.
