Josh Small couldn’t wait to leave school. By the time he’d reached his final exams he’d got into the wrong crowd and was continuously getting into trouble with teachers.
“I didn’t enjoy school and, as a result, I didn’t get the grades that I needed to progress onto college,” said Josh, now 17, from Henbury. “But, at the time I didn’t see it as a bad thing as all I really wanted to do was find a job and start earning money.” 
But finding a job at 16, with little training and practical experience, was easier said than done for Josh.
“I kept looking for work but it was really difficult. Every opportunity I saw required practical experience or a certain level of education which I just didn’t have. After two months, I was starting to grow really impatient. I wanted to be independent and start providing for myself, rather than asking my family to loan me money.”
So, when Josh’s mum showed him an advert for an upcoming Prince’s Trust and Marks and Spencer employability programme he called up straight away.
“At first, I didn’t know what to expect and wondered what the programme would lead to. But, I decided to stay positive and give it a go.”
Make Your Mark is a training and mentoring scheme delivered by Marks & Spencer (M&S) and The Prince’s Trust, which gives unemployed young people the skills, experience and confidence they need to find a job. Josh completed his training at the Cribbs Causeway branch.
“We took part in a series of teambuilding activities to boost our confidence and we also learnt how to communicate with customers. I was then given a work placement in the food stock department, which opened my eyes to how much work goes on behind the scenes. When people walk in all they see is food on the shelf, but there’s so much more to it.”
During the four-week programme, Josh developed a great relationship with his line manager who helped him to secure a job in the food stock department after Make Your Mark came to an end.
“I felt so lucky to have been given a chance. Working and earning was exactly what I wanted to be doing and M&S helped make that happen.”
After some time Josh was then transferred to the hospitality department – working in the customer café on the hot food counter.
“It was intimidating at first – the change of pace was much faster than I was used to – but it challenged me to be on the ball and I liked the thought of interacting with customers, rather than just responding to their questions. I was able to put my training into practice.”
Josh’s new role at M&S has given him the security he needs to make a positive future for himself. So, while he earns a living, he can also continue to explore his interest in electronics.
“The Make Your Mark programme has taught me that I can get on with lots of different people, regardless of their background, which is something I struggled with at school. I’d recommend it to anyone because the more you put in the more you’ll get out of it. When I felt like no one else would give me a chance, M&S gave me a job.”
