Success stories

Clodagh Clarry, North West London Health and Social Care Skills Academy Lead (pictured, second from right), is a registered nurse who has been working for the NHS for 24 years. Having held various positions - from Acute and Community Care to Education and System Transformation - she understands that revamping the recruitment and training strategies is key to attracting the right local talent.

Clodagh explains:

'We're facing challenges like staff shortages due to high turnover and low retention, as well as a lack of understanding about career opportunities in health and care. While we’d love to hire Allied Health Professionals, nurses and midwives, we're currently offering entry-level roles that serve as stepping stones to professional positions within the NHS.’

Work Hounslow has been working with the Academy to tackle these challenges. Funded by the Greater London Authority, the Academy began as a 'talent and recruitment hub’ pilot about three years ago. During the initial eight-week pilot, the Academy engaged over 20 residents. Since then, the number of people interested in the NHS opportunities as well as participation in online ‘explore and inform session’ and assessment days has steadily increased.

The Academy is now partnering with eight boroughs across northwest London. Clodagh adds:

When asked about the benefits of the collaboration, Clodagh notes:

'Both the Academy and Work Hounslow share a common vision and priorities. We aim to build a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Work Hounslow has the reach and ability to engage residents that we might not otherwise connect with. This is invaluable, as it allows us to focus on opening up opportunities and addressing the barriers that hinder inclusive recruitment.’

Clodagh also praises the support from Tej, Employer Engagement Coordinator and the team, who help identify and engage individuals with the right skills, mindset and passion to pursue careers in the NHS.

Work Hounslow collaborates with the Academy at every stage of the recruitment process, ensuring the candidates are prepared and positioned for success. Tej gathers job requirements from the Academy and works with the employment advisors to ensure that registered users of Work Hounslow are ready to be put forward for the roles.

Looking ahead, Clodagh highlights the importance of continuing this partnership:

‘Whether or not future funding is available, we want to maintain our relationships. The support, commitment and enthusiasm from Work Hounslow have been exceptional. We're united in our mission to find local talent to serve the community and deliver excellent patient care.’

Read the full story here. To find out how the team can support your business, email Employer Engagement team: work@hounlsow.gov.uk.

Recruiting a candidate from Hounslow to join the Engagement team at Karakusevic Carson Architects, based in Hackney, could have been challenging. However, with Work Hounslow’s local talent pool and tailored recruitment support, the team now has Aruna, a resident, as a temporary Programme Assistant.

Morgan, Engagement and Community Coordinator at Karakusevic Carson Architects, is pleased with Aruna’s progress.

‘The Programme Assistant role is varied and dynamic, with potential to include tasks from research and data processing, to designing marketing and communication materials and supporting our face-to-face events.’

She added:

‘Aruna has strong office skills, experience in research and data, and is also chatty, which is great! She wants to develop skills in graphic design, so we’ve tailored her daily work to include more that alongside other tasks.’

Karakusevic Carson Architects has been working with Hounslow Council for the past six months on a social housing project in Brentford Lock West. In late 2024, the company started recruiting a Programme Assistant to support the project. The nine-week role, running from February to April 2025, was specifically aimed at long-term unemployed residents looking to return to work.

Morgan highlights the valuable assistance provided by Work Hounslow’s employer engagement team in filling the role:

‘Work Hounslow has been incredibly supportive, helping us make the best use of our time when seeking the appropriate candidate and freeing us to focus on our current project work. The most beneficial part of this partnership is their network of job seekers in Hounslow. They tailored the job role for us, promoted it through their communications platform and used their system to select candidates with the right skills and experience.

Read the full story here.

Name: Madhavi

Current job position: Contact Centre Advisor at the NHS

Feeling stressed and almost losing hope of finding a job, Madhavi, who moved to the UK from India two years ago, recalled how excited she was when she informed her employment advisor from Work Hounslow about securing a Contact Centre Advisor job in the maternity department at the NHS.

Madhavi said: ‘The regular catch-ups with Kam, my employment advisor, including in-person meetings, phone calls or even online sessions every two week, were impactful. She understood my past work experience and saw where I would fit best in different job roles. I want everyone in the borough to know about Work Hounslow’s support so they can feel motivated to get the help they need. Don’t lost hope. Things can work out for sure.’

‘As a result of the pandemic, employers are worried that young people who have been learning remotely might not feel confident to come straight to workplace or might prefer not to work around with other people.

Madhavi first learned about Work Hounslow while doing online research on job search and support. In September, she attended one of their weekly drop-in sessions and met Kam. After registering with the team, she applied for about seven jobs before coming across the Contact Centre Advisor role in the NHS.

Funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Work Hounslow delivers a six-month programme providing one-to-one careers and employment support for residents who are currently unemployed. 90 residents have been registered with the team, empowering them to find good work that pays at least the London Living Wage and building confidence.

Madhavi added: ‘Kam worked with me on my CV to tailor it to the job requirements and guided me in answering questions about the essential and desirable skills in the application. She also helped me reflect on my previous experience as a human resource professional in India and motivated me to keep trying. With Kam’s help, I was able to find out the skills and experience relevant to the NHS job role, which involves helping people, understanding their concerns and offering solutions.’

She was eventually invited to an interview for the Contact Centre Advisor role. The panel interview went well and she received positive feedback from the panellists.

As a migrant in the UK, Madhavi faced several challenges in her job search, including differences in job market practices. She expressed frustration about the lack of feedback from employers for unsuccessful candidates.

She remarked: ‘When I worked in HR in India, I would provide feedback to candidates who were not shortlisted for interviews. It helped them improve their skills and knowledge for future applications. Here, I only receive automated rejection emails. I feel this is why many job applicants end up feeling demotivated and disheartened.’

Despite these challenges, Madhavi has worked hard in preparing for applications and interviews. She shared words of encouragement for other job seekers:

‘In India, I never felt so stressed about finding a job. I had my work experience and skills, and people often referred me for roles. Now, in a new country, I’ve succeeded in getting a job because I stayed dedicated and passionate. Your hard work will pay off. Finding a job isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible neither.’

Work Hounslow also works with local employers to create career pathways for residents and offers advice and guidance to businesses on a range of skills and employment areas such as the Apprenticeship Levy, inclusive recruitment, the London Living Wage and more.

To learn about the tailored employment support for residents contact the team directly via email: work@hounslow.gov.uk or by calling 020 8583 6174.

Name: Laura

Current job position: Countryside Ranger – Volunteering in Parks, Lampton 360 Greenspace

Laura has been retrained in Practical Countryside Habitat Management and Ecology for two years. Before she engaged with Work Hounslow, she looked for her first job as a Countryside Ranger, had several job interviews but no job offers.

'I had a several meetings with Work Hounslow’s employment advisor who has been really friendly and helpful. The support was first rate. The advisor got to know me and understood what I was looking for and gave me lots of support and encouraged me to join the Green Skills Bootcamp.

Sometimes when you’re trying to break into a new industry and get your first job it can feel daunting and isolating. This bootcamp removed that feeling and provided the encouraging environment to get through it with a team and to finally secure the job I was looking for.

I loved the two weeks of training from Patrick at Maydencroft Ltd. He has spent a lifetime in the Green Skills sector and had some brilliant stories, and was very patient, funny and encouraging.

The bootcamp helped my confidence – I realised that I had the ecology knowledge and habitat management experience to be applying for the jobs I wanted – that I deserved to be in the room.

Also, the classroom training like the Oak Processionary Moth training and the Health and Safety Training on working at height and near water was fascinating, and a lot of it was new for me. The content was very considered, common sense and practical and it helped me a lot to then go on and pass my CSCS Health and Safety courses the following week, so I can work on construction sites.’

Name: Olga Dudnik

Current job position: Ukraine Volunteering and Engagement Coordinator at Ealing and Hounslow Community and Voluntary Service

Olga resettled in the UK from Ukraine under the government’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme in May 2022 and moved to Hounslow.

Despite moving to a new country, she continued working remotely for an energy company DTEK in Ukraine as a senior manager in the education and technology division. Every day, she spent up to eight hours on conference calls with her colleagues, but she felt she was missing out on integrating into UK culture.

‘I was working remotely and felt isolated. I appreciated Leonie, my employment advisor, for her advice on volunteering, as I have been involved in volunteering all my life and enjoy contributing to the community.

I chose the ‘Walk and Talk’ project after meeting with staff from Ealing and Hounslow Community and Voluntary Service (EHCVS). They introduced me to various projects, and I decided to lead this one because I love walking, nature, and it was a great opportunity to practise my English in a multicultural environment. In November 2022, my group had six people from two different countries. By September 2023, it had grown to 80 people from nine countries.

I frequently sought advice from my employment advisor. When a vacancy opened at EHCVS for a project developing a support network for Ukrainian infrastructure, she helped me prepare for my first interview. She guided me when I received the first job offer from EHCVS.

I successfully developed the Ukrainian Project to the point where I was offered a full-time contract, and once again, my employment advisor helped me with a difficult decision to leave my job in Ukraine. We also discussed the pathways for advancing my career here in the UK.

Having a professional like Leonie to support, advise, and guide you in the right direction is invaluable.’

In addition, Olga made significant progress in her English language skills by attending courses such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and Functional Skills Entry Level 2 at Learn Hounslow, a provider of adult and community Education for Hounslow residents.

Willmott Dixon, the UK’s leading property builder and contractor, has been a Disability Confident Employer. .

Martine Corbett, Senior Social Value Manager at Willmott Dixon, said construction has an array of job opportunities for Hounslow residents who may face barriers to employment, allowing them to build their careers within the sector. She said:

‘More often than not, people overlook the fact that careers in the construction sector are incredibly diverse. Typically, people’s perceptions and media portrayal lead to the assumption that the sector is only about trades, however there are over 150 roles in construction. From support roles such as human resources, marketing, health and safety, finance, social value and sustainability, through to pre-construction roles including estimating, planning, design, digital engineering, bid submissions, quantity surveying and then roles out on site, which include roles within our supply chain, these are the roles that are more often considered when thinking of careers in construction.

The company run many programmes to support people facing barriers to work into sustainable careers. Work experience and enrichment programme are delivered to students attending a wide range of schools and colleges and this includes SEND schools.

The Willmott Dixon Building Lives Academy offers work experience, training and qualifications to adults that may have been long term unemployed and to young people that may not be in employment, education or training.

The company has also organised affinity groups, which includes a disability affinity group, where staff can share their voices to improve general awareness of disability issues and to ensure that staff of all backgrounds and abilities have the right tools to succeed at work.

As a disability confident employer, we encourage everyone to think differently about disability and take action to improve how we recruit, retain and develop people with disabilities. The Disability Confident scheme can support employers to break down barriers and challenges of disability, enabling them to make the most of the talents of people, including disabled people.

Employers must create an environment where difference is embraced, inclusion and diversity to enhance the workplace, creating an environment where individuals from all backgrounds and abilities can develop their potential and thrive.’

Read the full story of Willmott Dixon and its participation in Hounslow Council’s event to celebrate United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities in 2023 here

Video link: https://youtu.be/-ciA2zN_vUQ

AJAR Technology based in Brentford, is an international system integrator specialising in physical security, audio, visual and specialised integrated solutions for public sector and private businesses. The company has been recruiting young people and experienced professionals across the country to join their apprenticeships programmes.

Tara, Sales and Marketing Manager, shared some advice for employers who are considering hiring apprentices:

‘As a result of the pandemic, employers are worried that young people who have been learning remotely might not feel confident to come straight to workplace or might prefer not to work around with other people.

Employers can manage expectations with apprentices, explaining what the role would look like and what would suit for the apprentice and your business. If you are an SME or a small business, you can involve apprentices in all sorts of things. Young people would know way more about technology and different types of communications than older generations. We all start somewhere. None of us are born knowing everything. Employers who want to build their businesses cannot do it on their own.”

Tara emphasised that apprentices could enhance business operations and respond to clients’ needs efficiently.

One of the engineer apprentices, Alex, has completed the programme in September 2023. He has now taken up a senior commissioning engineer role and has recently completed a project for a client in Amsterdam.

Apart from apprenticeships, the company has organised T-Level placements and work experiences for students. They want to encourage more young people to learn more about the sector and the different career options and goals associated with it.

Read the full story of AJAR Technology's apprenticeship programme here