STEP: Jordan's Journey

12 January 2018

STEP is a programme offering paid twelve-month jobs comprised of two internships in two different areas of the Creative Industries.

7 lucky east London applicants were chosen to take part in the programme, and are all currently working on their first internship placements. They will all be blogging about their experiences as the programme progresses - but first up it's Jordan!

So, this is my first ever blog post… I guess I’ll start with a huge hi and welcome! My name is Jordan Reilly and I’m one of the seven Interns taking part in STEP. I’m 23 years of age and am currently working within the digital content production team at LCF (London College of Fashion) for my first STEP internship.

Before sharing my current experience, let me take you on a journey of how I got to where I am – tracing all the way back to late 2014…

Back then I was a Media Studies student at UEL. Realising a bit late that University wasn’t meant for me, I had left prematurely after a year and half of my studies - intent on finding my own career path. I was applying for jobs, internships and apprenticeships left, right and centre, and I was being turned down at almost at every door. Until I met the Create Jobs team at A New Direction (AND).

I joined the Creativity Works Events & Festivals course at the start of 2015, and the Create Jobs team helped me develop both as a person and as a worker, and introduced me to organisations such as Soho Create, Bootstrap, Dalston Roof Top, and the Barbican Centre.

Upon finishing my course and gaining a Silver Arts Award, I had become a new person entirely – filled with loads of new knowledge and experience. AND then helped me secure an internship based in Seville, Spain!

Back in London, I managed to bag my first ever full-time role with a charity called Leaders in Community (LiC) which I started in January 2016 for a year. Here I utilised my skills in media - creating films and posters, leading on social media - as well as developing new skills as a community engagement officer and a youth worker. These skills have built me into a more versatile worker. The experience opened my eyes to new industries which I now feel confident I can enter.

In the summer, I got back in touch with AND and the Create Jobs team and found out about their exciting new programme, STEP. An application, CV Surgery and two interviews later, and I find myself immersed in this internship - enjoying myself and looking forward to what’s to come.

AND and Create Jobs helped me back in 2014 and this support has only grown and continued. I have developed a huge love for the organisation and I will always remember what they’ve done for me.

Thanks Jordan! Click here to find out more about the STEP programme and check the blog section for more posts soon.