John's Journey to Employment Through Loaf Academy

John expressed a strong interest in catering and food preparation to his key worker in July, just ahead of the commencement of the next Loaf Academy intake in August.

Demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment, John joined the Food Preparation Academy on August 4th. From the outset, John showed great potential. He attended classroom sessions every Monday and completed three practical shifts each week across the Ewart Café and Loaf Café on Grosvenor Road. During his first week, John successfully completed his Level 2 Food Hygiene training and passed the associated exam, bringing valuable knowledge into both the classroom and kitchen environments. 

John set clear personal goals: to develop his food preparation skills and to progress toward employment. He consistently worked toward these goals during each shift, actively applying feedback and learning new techniques. He became proficient in preparing soups and salads and particularly enjoyed making sausage rolls, which became a favourite task. 

Throughout the academy, John demonstrated a strong work ethic and a genuine desire to learn. His 6-week and 12-week reviews reflected highly positive feedback from staff, noting his significant improvement and growing independence in the kitchen. 

In the final week of the academy, while completing his last shift at Loaf Café, staff recognised John’s capability and reliability. Impressed by his performance and independence, they offered him a position as bank staff. John was delighted with the opportunity and shared that he looks forward to this new chapter, even planning to treat his partner with his first pay-check.

Learn more on how NOW Group can support you into employment - www.nowgroup.org/training-jobs