As prime contractor of the DWP Restart Scheme, along with our partners in the West Midlands, Serco are invested in ensuring we give every participant the best support and service in finding sustainable work. 

Recent research conducted by Experience Lab (Serco’s research company), identified that 17% of those joining the Restart Scheme had a Level 5+ qualification and may need more specialist support in finding roles that suit their academic achievement.  

As a result of these findings, Serco piloted a new initiative called Restart Scheme Blue, offering additional job search support and  1:1 support through a team of Specialist Mentors for 12 weeks. To date, the scheme has supported 200+ individuals. 

George is an IT professional who had been looking for work since March. He had previously set up a business converting spreadsheets into apps, however this wasn't earning revenue, so he wanted to find something permanent. Joining the Restart Scheme in May 2023, George was referred onto Restart Scheme Blue in July by Serco’s team in West Bromwich.
George was assigned Katie Hunter as his mentor, who he worked with to identify a role that would be suitable for him. George was keen to get a role which aligned with his values and skills - something that he could feel proud of. In his first meeting, he talked about working within the public sector, ideally the NHS. 

Katie worked with George to tailor his CV for specific roles and understand how employers use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to support their recruitment process and screening. Katie encouraged him to research business’ prior to application to ensure they were the right fit, and together they updated George’s Linkedin profile to meet industry standards. George also attended 2 group work sessions that the Mentors had organised. Once George started to get interviews, Katie supported with interview preparation, including questioning and how to incorporate previous interview feedback.
George and Katie’s hard work soon paid off, and George secured a job as an Asset Analyst for the NHS. 

George Said:
“Three words sum up my time with Restart Blue: positivity, support, and opportunity. Katie and her team have provided each in ample measure. As a relatively new scheme, the service from Restart Scheme Blue has been well organised, friendly, and supportive. Katie has brought her engaging personality to each session, listening to and acting on concerns and priorities.

Throughout the sessions, she has provided valuable templates such as CVs and cover letters, plus links to a wide range of resources, such as specialised job opportunities, relevant courses, and even volunteer roles, to help expand my work experience and increase my chances in the job market. Katie and her team have conducted online workshops on a wide range of topics, allowing me to interact with other participants and learn from their shared experiences. Katie has used her mentoring skills to great effect, and I hope all the members of her team have continued success in presenting and evolving the Restart Scheme Blue programme.”

Quote from Katie:
“When I first met George, he’d been active on the job market for a long time and felt like he’d tried everything. He was feeling stuck and frustrated with his situation. It has been a pleasure to work with him over the last few months, getting to know him, better understand his motivations, supporting him to develop an effective job search strategy which was targeted and strategic, helping him to feel more in control of the process etc. 
He has demonstrated a proactive and positive approach within our sessions, allowing us to form a powerful team. He has now secured a meaningful role which aligns with his wider values, suits his skillset and offers scope for development. I couldn’t be happier and wish him the very best of luck for the future!”
 

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