6 days ago
Bradford scheme to build ethnic minority women's career confidence
Fifteen women within ethnic minority groups in Bradford have applied for apprenticeships with First Bus, following a partnership between the bus operator and charity-based community centre WomenZone, which helps ethnic minority women to build career confidence.
The partnership entails one-to-one mentoring, the teaching of interview skills, and "tailored training."
Following workshops held at First Bus's depots in Leeds, and the community centre on Hubert Street in Bradford, 15 women applied for apprenticeships in engineering and driving roles with the bus operator.
Other women, meanwhile, have gained the confidence to look for jobs elsewhere.
One of the beneficiaries of the scheme, Ayesha, said: "The First Bus interview skills workshop helped me to confidently answer questions, practice my interview technique, and deliver a successful interview, and I now have a job working at Greggs' factory and warehousing department.
"The support from First Bus and WomenZone was really good as this was the first time I practised interviews."
Another WomenZone member, who has been able to secure employment in the care sector, said: "I learned techniques that I used in my interview and now have a great job that I am so happy with."
Mazish Ahmed, operations manager of WomenZone, said: "This partnership with First Bus has had a profound impact already, boosting confidence and providing invaluable tools for career success for the women who took part.
"At WomenZone we continue to be excited by the ongoing work with First Bus, creating further opportunities of development, growth for our community, and boosting the chances of the local youth, who otherwise would not have had this opportunity."
First Bus plans to organise a series of sessions at its Shared Services Centre in Leeds, covering customer services, HR, procurement, and retail development, with the aim of improving understanding of office-based roles and skills.
Mubs Mahmed, community and social value partner at First Bus North & West Yorkshire, said: "The willingness and determination shown by the members of WomenZone and its team to embrace learning and skills development has been inspiring, and is the key element in the success we have seen to date.
"We're naturally delighted this has encouraged some women to look at job opportunities with us, but it is also very rewarding to know that new careers have been started in other business and service sectors."
More information about WomenZone is available at
