Seeing the potential: From Steps trainee to employee

At Strawberry Field, we believe in seeing potential and giving people the opportunity to show what they can do.

Jacob joined our Steps to Work programme with a passion for photography. But after struggling to turn that passion into employment via the mainstream job market, he was beginning to consider other career options and came to us undecided on his future.

Then, the stars aligned. An opportunity came up in our commercial team, who needed someone to photograph products for our online shop.

Jacob didn’t have all the experience we might traditionally look for. But rather than focusing on what was missing, we focused on what he had and the commitment we had seen in our programme.

We gave him an interview and the chance to demonstrate his skills in a real working environment. He took the photographs, edited them and sent them through on a deadline. They were good. Really good.

Jacob graduated from the programme in September as Strawberry Fields commercial photographer, paid for his creativity and skills. Every new product image you will see in our online shop is his work. He also photographed our Steps graduation, another opportunity to build his portfolio, his experience and, most importantly, his confidence.

Jacob’s story is exactly why we believe in looking beyond the traditional recruitment process. Being an inclusive employer means creating opportunities to see what people can do, rather than making assumptions about what they can’t.

If you’d like to support Jacob as he builds his photography career, take a look at his portfolio on Instagram @socialmediabobby and visit the Strawberry Field online shop.