DUCT EMPLOYABILITY PROGRAMME WITH YOUR EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS

Dundee United Community Trust's Employability Programme has helped Cayden Gordon achieve full-time employment with Dundee United associate partner Your Equipment Solutions (YES Hire).

After struggling to find employment that matched his qualifications, Cayden came to Tannadice Park to improve his workplace skills and open new doors to employment.

This was part of the ‘Kick Off Your Career’ programme, a six-week intervention delivered by DUCT in partnership with the SPFL Trust and JobCentre Plus which focuses on preparing young people for employment. 

Cayden commented: “I got help with my CV whilst on the programme and developed my social and interview skills which were key qualities for getting a job. My work experience at Y.E.S [set up by DUCT] helped me understand the job too.” 

"At the end of the six-week programme, Cayden continued with drop in sessions which lead to work experience with DUFC Sponsor, Your Equipment Solutions (YES Hire). It was important to Cayden to have a ‘hands on’ job, with Y.E.S being the perfect fit and his current role being mostly physical.  

“I’m contracted to be a Hire Controller, but you get to be involved with various things. One minute you could be on the desk then be working with a customer and checking the kit for them and helping answer their questions. We work with small and larger plant hires so I have experience with items such as saw benches, excavators, rollers, etc.” 

Strong Community Outcomes

Jamie Kirk, Chief Executive for the Community Trust, added: “This is a great example of how we can work with the Football Club and their partners to deliver on strong community outcomes. Huge well done to everyone involved in making this happen, particularly Cayden for grabbing the opportunity with both hands.” 

"The ultimate goal of any project like ‘Kick Off Your Career’ is to help people find a job, and having employers who are invested in their local community and willing to give people a chance is vitally important." 

David Johnstone, Managing Director at Your Equipment Solutions, had his say on how Cayden has settled in to full-time employment: “Cayden has done really well at Y.E.S. He’s blossomed from the start from being a tentative young guy coming in but has certainly improved his communication and people skills and can adapt to certain situations. He’s gotten involved very, very quickly and I’m very impressed with his work rate in the last seven months. 

"I knew Jamie Kirk from a previous role where we worked together to support the local community  and when Y.E.S opened a depot in Dundee we entered a partnership with the club to develop our brand in the city and also to gain an understanding of how the club interacts with its local community.

"From there we started to discuss things with DUCT and quickly found an opportunity to discuss bringing someone of Cayden’s skillset in and trying to develop them. I was really surprised on how quickly we got that done and actually getting the benefits from that.” 

Strength to Strength

“This is a fantastic news story which sees our Community Trust engage with one of our valued club partners in Your Equipment Solutions. Y.E.S Hire have been engrained into the Dundee community in such a short time and this is another terrific example of this" added Elliot Shaw, Head of Commercial and Sponsorship at Dundee United Football Club 

"Our Community Trust are going from strength to strength, and the work that they do is rightly recognised on a national level. Everyone at the club wishes Cayden the very best in his employment development.” 

Everyone at the Community Trust would like to congratulate Cayden on his growth from the Kick off Your Career programme and his success at Your Equipment Solutions. His journey has shown how hard work and determination can pay off. 

To find out more information about KOYC or being a work experience provider, please contact lindsey.brown@dundeeunitedct.co.uk.