We would definitely recommend other employers to engage with the programme. Having worked with Black Country Talent Match for a number of years, I can highly recommend them to other employers and to young people who would benefit from the additional support. Everyone who works at Talent Match is passionate about helping people achieve their potential. Many of the young people they work with have chaotic backgrounds and multiple barriers to employment – some are homeless, have no families, no-one to advise and guide them through life at a very vulnerable young age. Young people should be able to learn, have fun with friends and be excited about their future, not be lonely, scared or worried about being exploited. Black Country Talent Match helps them to be safe, secure and gives them the confidence to move forward with their lives.

As a local employer, I have found Talent Match a very good source to find employees for our business. The candidates I’ve met are just looking for someone to give them a chance and I believe this gratitude can create a hardworking, loyal and valuable team member.

After being introduced to Black Country Talent match it became very apparent to me that your colleagues were very passionate about what you do, helping young people who haven’t had a great start in life and enabling opportunities to start a career in the workplace.

We were introduced to a few candidates of which we gave an opportunity to a young gentleman who had a previous offending background. After our first meeting it was clear he was passionate about food, cooking and starting his own business in the future.

We took him on and what a breath of fresh air, he was, passionate, punctual, hardworking, well-mannered and he became such a great team member we took him on full time.

He was very honest about his intentions and used this opportunity as a stepping stone, which again was fantastic to see him to go on to a better future.