Blind Graduates Drive to Success

Eighteen blind graduates will attend a two-day event to help them build confidence and make more successful applications for jobs in professional careers.

The event, organised for the fifth time by the charity Blind in Business and supported for the third year running by SHL, world leader in objective assessment, will take place at SHLís Woodstock House in Long Ditton, Surrey on the 17th and 18th of August. As well as attending seminars and life coaching sessions, all the participants will have the opportunity to participate in off road driving as a fun and confidence-building activity.

Gill Bramley, a graduate from Oxford Brookes University who will be attending the event said, ìI canít wait to get in the driving seat! Iíve always wanted to try driving and now I have the chance.î

The graduates will receive advice on all stages of the recruitment process, including how to complete application forms and how to disclose their disability. Recruiters from eighteen renowned organizations including: Citigroup, the NHS, Herbert Smith, Transport for London, Lloyds TSB, Procter and Gamble, ABN AMRO, Slaughter and May, Nationwide, BT, Allen and Overy, KPMG, Rolls Royce, UBS, Logica CMG and Accenture will attend the event to learn more about employing individuals with visual impairments and attend a technology exhibition.

The employers will also engage in practice interviews with the graduates. James Harris who attended last yearís event is now working as an analyst for Logica CMG. He commented, ìI think it was a useful experience for the employers as well as the graduates. They were able to get feedback from us on how to conduct an interview with visually impaired people. They actually became more aware of the way they should behave, like how they should shake our hand or guide usî

On top of the practice interviews candidates will also get the chance to practice psychometric assessment tests in a variety of formats provided by SHL. As part of its commitment to providing fair assessment to those with disabilities, SHL offers a range of its psychometric instruments in Braille and other versions suitable for blind and partially sighted job-seekers. Katy Colman, now a Civil Service Fast streamer remembers last yearís ability tests: ìI was really pleased to see how those tests worked well in Braille. Itís great to see how the actual tests can be applied in so many ways, and with different technologies.î

Katy adds ìIt really increased my confidence as a totally blind applicant - gaining all that practice in job interviews, qualifying tests and applications. It was refreshing to meet so many others with real drive and ambitionî.

Over half of those that attended last year have already found employment thanks to the skills they perfected at the event. The rest either returned to full time education or are undertaking work placements.

ìWe are delighted that ëEducation to Employment is now in its fifth year,î said Clare Young, Employment Manager at Blind in Business. ìEmployers are showing an ever increasing commitment to diversity and this is reflected by the variety of firms attending our event. These two days allow both employer and candidate to put theory into practice.î