One of our first cohort of Trainees, Darren quickly wowed staff and customers with his warm personality and ability to use this to give great customer service. On leaving the Traineeship, Darren moved into paid employment at his local McDonalds and 10 years later Darren is still a valuable member of their team! Not many people can say they have been with the same company for 10 years!
Katie joined the Traineeship feeling unsure about work and worried about the social side of employment. But as her confidence grew, so did her people skills — and she discovered what being part of a team really meant. She soon stepped into paid work at Sainsbury’s café, and when it closed during Covid, she used everything she’d learned to secure a new role at Greggs, where she’s thriving today.
“I love treating my parents after payday. Having independence and an income feels amazing.” Katie
Lucy is a long-standing member of Yellow Submarine, enjoying holidays and social activities with us. When she joined the Traineeship, she knew that giving good customer service was something that she could learn, but she also had to work particularly hard on her physical stamina as she wasn’t used to being on her feet all day, she also learnt to travel independently. Lucy moved straight from the Traineeship into a paid role at the M&S café, where she still is today.
“I enjoy wearing my uniform, serving coffee and keeping the café tidy” Lucy
Darren, 2016
Katie, 2017
Lucy, 2018
Aisling left school with an ambition to work, but without the confidence and skills. Before she was able to think about what direction she wanted her career to take, there were key skills that she needed to learn, such as giving good and consistent customer service as well as time-keeping.
“Before the traineeship I struggled with timekeeping. I began to feel confident to travel independently. I was proud to have learnt the bus timetables and was able to make all by bus connections, this helped me make sure I always got to work on time and is a skill I use every day even now!” Aisling
Kieran came to Yellow Submarine with the skills he needed to achieve his goal of working in technology, but his lack of confidence was stopping him. At first, he couldn’t leave the kitchen or say a full sentence to someone but Kieran was slowly able to build on this, eventually being able to serve a queue of customers. Whilst at Yellow Submarine, Kieran fixed a broken interactive whiteboard, and we quickly realised that we needed someone with his skills in the team.
“I feel like I have made an impact on the charity as I have and hearing the team’s compliments is amazing!” Kieran
Before the Traineeship, Leigh struggled to understand the boundaries at work in terms of behaviour and managing stress due to her autism. On the traineeship Leigh learnt how to respect boundaries, and not interrupting people. Leigh wanted to be a Karate coach so Yellow Submarine were able to arrange for her to begin a coaching qualification whilst also working part-time as a cleaner.
“Before I started at Yellow Submarine I used to be so lazy, lying in bed every day and I had nothing, now I have got a routine and it feels great”. Leigh
![IMG_0028[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/aa2afb_66f61979d37b45b1909c49ff280f87c4~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_332,y_887,w_1813,h_1876/fill/w_294,h_304,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/IMG_0028%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
Aisling, 2019
Kieran, 2020
Leigh, 2021
Ben’s first few shifts in the cafe were challenging for him; he was so quiet it was difficult for customers to hear him as his confidence was so low, so as a keen Oxford United fan, he was encouraged to use his football voice to make himself heard! By working in a team and building relationships with his peers, Ben soon began to see small steps of progress. Ben was supported into a voluntary role at Cogges farm, where he built on his existing skills. A few months later he was successful in achieving a paid role at Warner Leisure where he is still working!
“I would tell people to do the traineeship and give it a go, you will love it.” Ben
Charlie is one of our youngest ever Trainees, joining the Traineeship straight from school having struggled to keep up academically. Charlie had a very clear goal of working in a café and through his determination, he progressed very quickly through the Traineeship and was also the first ever Trainee to learn how to make coffee. Supported by Yellow Submarine, Charlie did some external work experience at the Art Café, he had not even finished his first day before they offered him a paid job! He is still there, working 4 days a week.
“It makes me cry to think of how he was and how he is now!” Charlie's Parent
After becoming disengaged at College and experiencing some negative relationships, Jess began her Traineeship journey believing that she was not going to do well and keeping everyone at arm’s length. Jess began gaining confidence, speaking to staff, trainees and customers. By Christmas she signed up for her first Yellow Submarine social event. She was even taught to travel so she could independently catch up with friends. Jess went on to work at Sodexo.
“Jess is seriously so confident now and went out with the team at the weekend for our Christmas do! Amazing young lady.” Sodexo
Ben, 2022
Charlie, 2023
Jess, 2024
Jess found the Traineeship challenging due to her communication, mobility and learning barriers, needing full support to do simple tasks. With consistent report, she progressed to do complex tasks independently. Jess’ confidence didn’t just grow in the café, it blossomed in every area of her life. She became more comfortable interacting with unfamiliar people, and her independence at home and in social settings improved.
“The traineeship is not just about employment, it’s about, growth, and unlocking potential. With the right support, people like Jess can have meaningful lives where they can continue to progress”. Parent
When Julia arrived to the Traineeship she was disengaged and unwilling to commit to the demands involved in her learning. With lots of patience from staff, Julia was gradually able to showcase her abilities, allowing her confidence to grow. Julia slowly began to trust staff and peers, and develop self-belief. After 18 months, Julia did some work experience at a park café local to her house, and this was so successful she was offered a paid job!
Our traineeship bridges the gap between education and employment.
​
Learn if the traineeship is right for you, here.
