IT specialist from Ukraine lands new career with leading company thanks to council's job support scheme
An IT specialist from Ukraine who moved to Staffordshire looking to bring his skills and experience into the sector locally has been recruited after being matched through a county council service.
ICT company Converge Technology Solutions, based in Stafford, saw Anton Kryvun’s potential and took him on through the county council’s Open Door work placement programme.
Anton had excellent experience and work history but was finding it tough to break into the UK jobs market.
The programme, part of the wider Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service, finds work placements at businesses and organisations, as well as the county council.
Converge Technology Solutions manages organisations' IT from end to end - supplying hardware and software, deployment services, support and IT recycling.
After a five-week work placement with Converge, Anton applied for a job vacancy as an IT support agent and successfully landed the role and he has now been in full-time employment since the beginning of January.
The Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service has an expert team of brokers on hand to match job seekers with suitable vacancies. Its website, www.staffsjobscareers.com includes advice on careers or training options, top tips to gain employment and information for businesses.
Anton, who met with a jobs and careers service broker to initially discuss options, the realities of UK job searching and review his CV, said of the experience: “The Staffordshire Jobs and Careers service programme has really worked for me. A key factor was that the role closely matches my previous professional experience, which allowed me to add value quickly.
"Having no local knowledge of the area, it wasn’t easy to find a suitable position. This placement gave me the fresh start I needed. From here, I can continue to increase my knowledge of the UK. Thank you to Open Door and Converge for everything - it’s been genuinely life-changing support.”
Ellen Careless, people operations manager from Converge Technology Solutions, said: "As a local and socially conscious company, we are committed to supporting local people, which makes our partnership with Staffordshire Jobs and Careers a perfect fit. We would highly recommend the service. As a multi-million-pound IT reseller, manufacturer and recycler based in Stafford, we have been extremely impressed by the support provided by the county council’s Open Door programme.”
One of the priorities of the county council’s new economic strategy is to support the development of local talent, skills and inclusive growth through initiatives like the Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service.
Martin Murray, Staffordshire County Council’s acting leader, said: "The Staffordshire Jobs and Careers Service is making a difference to people like Anton who are trying to find a position to match their skills and job that is suited to them. It’s also enabling companies across Staffordshire to take on the right employees for their organisation and help boost their productivity.
"There is a broad range of vacancies and training opportunities, and our employment brokers are ready to help. We’re pleased that Anton is now thriving in his new role and that Converge has filled a position with a talented new employee.
"We’re committed as a county council to supporting people to increase their employability skills and for businesses to benefit from a work-ready communities locally.”
