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Success stories
From London Cabbie to Media Technician!
“I’d almost given up hope”.
Mark had always wanted to be a cab driver. After signing up for ‘The Knowledge’ at the age of 19, he got his black cab licence at the very earliest opportunity, on his 21 st birthday! For the next 22 years he enjoyed a varied and interesting career as a London cabbie, based out of Richmond. He met many colourful characters from all walks of life and was more than happy with his lot.
Unfortunately though, at the age of 43, Mark became very unwell and was diagnosed as having developed Type 1 Diabetes. He became dependant on insulin, and was no longer allowed to drive because of possible blackouts, so had to give up his beloved job.
Mark didn’t know what on earth he was going to do! He spent three months signing on at Twickenham Jobcentre and only finding cleaning jobs, which he really didn’t want to do. He was feeling very depressed about everything until he met with the Disability Employment Adviser, Eric, who told him about a “paradise” called Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Training College where he could learn a new trade. He chose the Media Techniques course, as he had always been interested in photography and filming, and started in May 2005, within a month of applying.
Mark put every effort into his training, learning the multiple skills to work in the media industry. He was always unflappable in his day-to-day dealings with difficult subjects, and got on well with his fellow trainees throughout the College. He was a very competent and well-respected trainee. Of the College, Mark said: “I thought the course was excellent. Paul and Steve, my instructors, were very knowledgeable, as well as being very patient, supportive and understanding. I was very impressed with them, and couldn’t fault them at all! The whole group got on really well”.
Towards the end of Mark’s course, Coulsdon College contacted us to say they had a vacancy in their Media Department. They had a long association with our college, and had had previous trainees both in work placements and permanent jobs there over the years. Mark hadn’t had to apply for a job for 22 years – he was out of practice! So, with the help of our Jobclub Leader, he completed the application form and applied. He was invited for an interview and found he was up against four undergraduates. However, his personality and technical ability won over, and he was appointed in March 2006, immediately after finishing his course here.
I went to visit Mark at Coulsdon College. His job as a Media Technician there involves not only looking after all the “kit” and assisting the lecturers on several media courses, but also actually teaching two classes a week himself. (He’s pictured here in the radio room.) He says the job is most enjoyable, but very hard work! Since he’s been there, he’s devised and set up a new system for the hire and return of equipment, and more recently he’s started studying for a teaching degree. His long-term aim is to become a Media Lecturer!
Mark’s line manager, Andy Revell, the Senior Media Lecturer, spoke very highly of him. He said, “I’m very grateful to Mark for all the work he’s done here, and I’d very much like him to progress to being a trainer himself. He has just the right temperament for the job. He’s friendly and fitted in right from the start. I was glad I stuck to my guns about selecting him for the job.”
Mark has been at Coulsdon College for eight months now, and feels that none of it would have been possible without the help of Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Training College. He summarised how he felt as follows: “I think the College is brilliant for re-training, but it also benefits people who’ve lost their confidence through unemployment or disability. I’d almost given up hope and thought I’d be unemployed until retirement. The College was like a life-line, and indeed has changed my life entirely!”
