Job Title: Job Coach
Company: Hereward College
Tell us a bit about yourself. This can include telling us what fires you up about the job you do, your professional achievements, your career highlights. What inspires you? What attracted you to pursue a career in manufacturing? Is there anything else you’d like to say about either your job or UK manufacturing?
I have been working within manufacturing at Evtec Automotive for the past eight years specialising in job coaching young adults with special educational needs, bringing their unique skill sets into the automotive industry.
I have been very proud to place nine students in permanent roles and in the past year supported 49 students on supported internship placements (36 in 2023/24) an increase of 36%. In year 1 (2017/18) a team of students achieved £500k and by year 7 (2023/24) achieved £1.3m over a nine month placement. Their dedication, loyalty and commitment are what drives me to do what I do every day. I am very clear that disability is not forgotten in the world of manufacturing and should be at the forefront of technology.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Tell myself to become a job coach earlier as it’s the most fulfilling thing that I have done – working with disabilities and creating job outcomes in manufacturing.
What is your favourite engineered/manufactured product?
I love cameras as nothing is better than what you see through a lens and capturing the moments that students achieve amazing things.
Please give one interesting fact about yourself that not many people know.
I learned to play the violin… not very well!
If you weren’t in manufacturing what would be your dream job?
I’m doing both – working in manufacturing and with young people with disabilities – so this is my dream job. I would do it all over again and again and again!
