I’m Caitlin Marie Hurst and I’m a Modern Apprentice. My role is within the Fair Work Convention support team. (Who are great☺.) Before I started working with the team I was studying Health and Social Care at Glasgow Kelvin College. I decided this was the path I wanted to take as I had previously worked in a dementia unit care home, which changed the way I look at life. I have also worked in retail since the age of 16 as well as going to school which I graduated from in 6th year.
Recently I have been doing a lot of research into what fair work is and finding out what my team do. I have discovered that there are five key elements that make up the fair work framework.
Fair Work is all about Fulfilment within your work, this is key factor in both individual and organisational wellbeing. This includes the opportunity to use one’s skills to have access to training and development. Another key element is Respect, this includes policies and practices such as treating others how you would wish to be treated, opportunities for flexible working and to respect the workers personal and family lives.
Effective Voice, google will tell you that effective voice is that raw sound when the air from your lungs vibrates your vocal cords. However that’s not the case for us, the Effective Voice we promote is for you to have the opportunity to voice your concerns and opinions in the work place, whether they are good or bad.
Security of employment, work and income are important foundations of a successful life. Security is a major issue within a working environment, for this to be successful there must be certain targets achieved, for example: fair pay and the living wage, building stability into contractual arrangements and sick pay and pensions are three of the practices within security.
And finally Opportunity, a chance for you to move up the ladder or take a training course in something that looks interesting to you, this gives you the knowledge that there are other paths and options to be taken.
These five dimensions balance the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers and can generate benefits for individuals, organisations and society.
Anyway enough about what we do its time to tell you how my FIRST EVER experience at the procurement conference 2018 went ☺.
The atmosphere was the first thing I noticed, to say the least it was booming. However, very organised. We set up our stand at the main entrance and then I set out to gather information for this wonderful blog. As I went around the stalls I collected information leaflets on the companies I thought were the most intriguing. Once I had gathered enough information I then went to listen to the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills present a speech.
Mr Hepburn started his speech off with “ do you believe your approach is fair and kind? “ I felt that this statement helped to give an insight into what companies should be thinking about and how they run their business. My favourite quote that Minister Hepburn said was “ our purpose gives us a common goal “ which makes me believe that everyone has a purpose on this earth that makes us all the same.
The companies that I visited where;
Brightwork recruitment who are a Scottish Government Framework approved supplier, they are Scotland’s first recruitment agency to attain Living wage Recognised Service provider, they also partner with Career Ready to connect young people within the world of work. In my 5th year of secondary school I worked with Career Ready on an internship for SQA which I really enjoyed.
Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing company is a new enterprise opened in summer 2018. They provide employment opportunities for Scottish Armed Forces veterans, enabling them to work and develop independence in a commercially focused challenge
Konica Minolta works alongside Kenyan ministry of education to assist children with their education and growth by helping shape their ideas. There was a story writing and drawing contest designed to inspire young talent and provide room for creativity, this was created in September 2016 to January 2017. My favourite poem from this contest would have to be Veronica Achieng’s Brighter Tomorrow, below I have selected a portion of the poem so you can get a taste of how good it is.
“ There will be a brighter tomorrow someday, as I look at everything now, the earth is moving as expected, the future is seen every hour, we all look forward to the new tomorrow “
And that is how my day at the procurement conference 2018 went☺
Thank you