There’s lots of opportunities available to Knowsley students who may be deciding what they want to do when they leave school. From A Levels, BTECs, T Levels, apprenticeships or employment, there’s lots of options.
Charlie Higham attended All Saints Catholic High School in Kirkby, achieving 4 A’s, 4 B’s and 2 C’s in his GCSE.
Charlie stayed on at All Saints where he attended the Sixth Form, studying Geography, Applied Biology and IT and then went on to study Human Geography at the University of Liverpool where he got a 2:1 with Hons.
Charlie applied to the Graduate Programme at Knowsley Council where he secured a place, finished the programme and has now secured a permanent role as a Business Liaison Officer in the Invest Knowsley Team.
Here’s what Charlie said . . .
What made you apply for the Knowsley Graduate Programme?
Having left university during the pandemic in 2020, I was unsure of what to do next. I saw an advert on the council’s website for a Graduate role in Policy and Performance and when reading the job description, I could see that I had the skills needed for this role so I decided to apply.
How long were you on the programme and what did the programme involve?
I was on the graduate scheme for two years which consisted of a cycle with other Graduates where we would move round to different teams not only within Policy and Performance itself, but also other areas of the council such as Scrutiny and Partnerships and Community and Neighbourhoods.
This was invaluable as even though I am a Knowsley resident, I did not know the full depth of what the council covered so to have the opportunity to work on different projects gave me an oversight of the work that goes on in Knowsley but also gave me a better understanding of the organisational structure within the council which has benefited me when coming in to my current role.
What did you enjoy about the programme?
The programme was a great experience for me as it allowed me to get involved in a wide range of work and explore services I hadn’t previously been aware of. This helped me discover where my interests truly lie and gave me the opportunity to pursue them further.
It was designed to let us try different things, so we could genuinely identify what we enjoyed and then request to be involved in similar projects moving forward and contribute to them.
Alongside this, time was dedicated to enable us to network with other graduates not only just within the council but across the city region and this helped me feel more confident in my role and share experiences to support our development.
What are you enjoying about working for the council?
Working for the local authority where I grew up is really rewarding as I have had the opportunity to work on projects that I have seen come to fruition in front of my eyes, that have had positive impacts on communities across the borough.
There is a lot of variation in the work you do across Knowsley and both on the Graduate programme and in my current role in Invest Knowsley, I get the chance to collaborate with different services and stakeholders, helping to deliver better outcomes for Knowsley residents and businesses.
Knowsley Council is as an organisation that encourages their employees to develop and I genuinely feel that those at a senior level want to provide the opportunity for anyone in the organisation to pursue development whether that be through qualifications or widening their experiences through projects.
Alongside this, the council offers and encourages a healthy work life balance making it a great place to work.
What are your long-term career aspirations?
I am currently just over a year into my new role as a Business Liaison Officer in the council’s Business Growth Team. I’m still developing in this role and will soon be starting to progress a qualification in Management Consultancy. I see myself staying here for a while, being given the platform to grow and develop in my role.