Starbucks: Volunteering to vocation case study

By Starbucks

Headstart is a programme that guarantees volunteers a job interview at major organisations throughout the UK. 

Montell-Diego Higgins-Chen works as a barista at Starbucks in London. He wants to become a hardware design engineer and plans to go to university.

How did you find out about the Headstart programme?

I found out about the Headstart programme through National Citizen Service. They recommended it as you not only get the chance to volunteer but it also guarantees a job interview with a number of well recognised brands, like Starbucks. I thought I could learn a lot of skills and take away a lot more from it even if I wasn’t successful in the end with the interview.

What did you do as a volunteer?

I applied to work at a children’s play park that needed renovating, and as I wanted to work in construction I thought this would be a fun challenge. I got a call back and was told that I’d been successful, but was then told the role was a child worker which wasn’t what I expected. In the end though, I really enjoyed it.

I learned a lot of skills around time management, met some great people and was kept busy looking after 40 children a day.

What skills did you learn?

I found the programme really beneficial. It taught me that even if you don’t initially get what you want, don’t panic as you could discover something new.

It can be quite hard to carry yourself in a positive, professional manner through all the tasks of a working day – from meeting new faces and keeping confident to getting through your to-do list. Headstart has helped me to build confidence and prepare for university interviews, as it means I now have a lot more to talk about.

What was the job interview like?

I expected it to be more formal, but it was focused more on getting to know my personality and character traits versus qualifications and experience. This was refreshing compared to other interviews I’d previously had, as it allowed me to get across who I am as a person rather than being defined by something on paper.

Would you recommend volunteering?

I would say get stuck in and look for an area you have a genuine interest in. At the same time, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get accepted in your preferred area – you might find something you’d never have thought of but actually really enjoy.

Future-Talent-Learning-apprenticeship

See how our levy-funded level 3/5 online management courses have a positive impact on your organisation from day one.

Speak to our team
Download brochure
FTL Website_About Us Page_Contributors_2

Future Talent Learning Insights explore themes central to our changing world of work

We produce regular whitepapers, thought leadership and practical guides exploring themes central to the future of our changing world of work.

 

Register for insights on learning and how it's shaping the future of work, straight to your inbox.

Subscribe & register

Related articles

What's it like to do an engineering virtual insight placement with bp?

Year 12 student Paul Ofordu took part in bp’s virtual insight days to find out more about opportunities in engineering.
Read More >

Tags: Volunteering and work experience, Starbucks

7 ways bp is supporting early careers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Despite COVID, bp continues to enhance young people’s employability and interest in STEM, reaching more students than ever.
Read More >

Tags: Volunteering and work experience, Starbucks

What's it like doing virtual work experience in financial services?

Anya Myers, an 18-year-old student at Edinburgh University, took part in virtual work experience at Quilter, a provider of...
Read More >

Tags: Volunteering and work experience, Starbucks

FTL-lightbulb-1

Start your journey to transforming learning experiences

Discover how we can help you reimagine online learning to upskill your workforce.

Speak to our team
Download brochure