Mike Ferguson works as the Supported Internship Lead in the Apprenticeship Team at Lancaster & Morecambe College. He supports and teaches the students on the Supported Internship course, which we offer in partnership with DFN Project Search. A supported internship is a one year transition to work programme which is for young people aged 18-24 with a learning disability or autism, who want to gain work experience and develop their skills to enable them to progress into paid employment.

All you need to start the Supported Internship course is enthusiasm, motivation, energy and determination. As the course progresses, you will develop your employability, personal and social skills, which will enable you to increase your independence and develop your confidence and self-esteem. All of these new skills will ensure that you are better prepared to enter the workplace as a skilled and effective employee.

Mike previously worked as a tutor with the YMCA in the Runcorn area, and joined LMC as a tutor back in 2004 with the Aspire team. He chose to apply for this role at LMC as it provided oppurtunities for him to help people make a positive change to their lives. His new role now within the Apprenticeship team as the Supported Internship Lead is to support young people who have an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP) who are keen to gain new skills and work experience. He will co-ordinate the delivery of an innovative transition to work programme, currently the NHS, and support the interns to develop employability skills through a series of work-based rotations and teaching/ learning sessions.

My favourite part of the role is finding creative solutions to solving problems and producing a positive outcome for students.

In Mike's job he works with the partner organisations to deliver the transistion to work program and supports students on their work placements. On the Supported Internship students get to develop and apply their skills everyday, ensuring they are ready to transition seamlessly into the workplace. The Supported Internship work placements are currently available with the NHS at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in lots of different departments across the hospital including:

• Catering
• Portering
• HR
• Maintenance/Facilities
• Healthcare Assistants
• Sterile Services

When asked what he would say to someone who was thinking about applying to the Supported Internship Mike says,

Our Students get to develop and apply their skills and learning every day, ensuring that they are ready to move seamlessly into the workplace as skilled and effective employees. There are no formal qualification requirements to study on this course and no pressure of working towards a formal qualification. If this sounds like it would suit you, then get in touch today!

If you would like to apply for the Supported Intership click the link below.