Adam began his career at Kibble as a Graduate Apprentice working alongside the ICT team while studying Software Development at the University of the West of Scotland.
Working at Kibble is an opportunity to build a long-term, rewarding career. Vacancies vary from frontline care staff to jobs within corporate services, which support overall business operations. Departments include finance, HR, ICT and more. The charity values ambition and recruits driven employees who aspire to reach their full potential too. The staff team strives to do their best whether they work directly with young people or not and in return, Kibble invests heavily in career development for all.
As an ICT Graduate Apprentice, Adam is part of Kibble’s established ICT department while working towards a university degree in Software Development at the University of the West of Scotland. Adam is appreciative of his ICT colleagues who can provide him with advice and guidance from their lived experience. The insight into their daily responsibilities and practical knowledge boosts Adam’s understanding of the coursework. Adam is determined to complete the academic qualification and join the team permanently as a full-time ICT Systems Analyst.
It has been a positive experience for Adam to learn while completing on-the-job training as he values time with his colleagues: “I work within Kibble’s ICT department while studying Software Development at the University of the West of Scotland. I shadow my co-workers who take the time to explain each step involved in resolving the issues we’re working on.”
“Being taught on the job lets me ask any questions freely. I feel so much more confident and knowledgeable when I go to study because I have seen what we’re talking about applied in the real workplace.”
Adam is leading by example, demonstrating the rewarding career you can have at Kibble when you show great enthusiasm for learning and teamwork.
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Hear from ICT Graduate Apprentice Adam as he explains the advantages to beginning a career at Kibble and working while studying.
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Kibble’s Skills Academy has given a young person the chance to gain the qualifications and work experience required to become a mechanic and turn their hobby into a potential career.
As a young boy, one Skills Academy student had an avid interest in cars, motorbikes and speedboats. There was always the hope of one day owning a powerful car, and growing up, as the years pass by and cars evolve, the ideal make and model may continue to change but the passion has remained stronger than ever.
The young person had a vision of becoming a car and motorbike mechanic, and The Skills Academy has brought his ambition to life. With an education and training centre based in Hillington as well as bases at St Mirren Football Club’s stadium and separate Training Complex, there are numerous subject choices, work placements and opportunities. It was the academy’s fully operational car garage that the aspiring mechanic set his sights on. The workshop maintains Kibble’s large fleet of vehicles and is the perfect learning environment for the young person.
The Mechanic Youth Trainer, Ross oversees servicing and maintenance and leads by example to all young people. Extremely knowledgeable in mechanics and always willing to help others, Ross is often found in the car garage at Hillington completing checks on Kibble vehicles across each location. He is a friendly face to everyone and prides himself on delivering exceptional service, ensuring the highest standards are met. Ross’ commitment is clear to see and he is a positive influence to students, showing them, you can have a rewarding career in a job you thoroughly enjoy.
Instructor Ross mentors aspiring mechanics.
The young person shared his experience of working towards SVQ and City and Guilds qualifications in mechanics: “I learn something new every day working at the academy’s garage with Instructor, Ross. It is absolutely amazing to get involved with the maintenance of the cars and have support from a professional mechanic like Ross. I would 100% work for Ross as a mechanic.”
“At the academy, I help repair cars and vans by fixing issues or completing a service. For as long as I can remember I have been interested in how cars and motorbikes work, and at the academy I am understanding more and more.”
“The next step is to go to college, possibly an apprenticeship then Formula 1!”
Instructor Ross motivates young people to set career goals.
Instructor Ross truly believes mentoring young people is the best part of his entire career. He continues to be impressed by the enthusiasm of those who want to enter the industry: “This young person is a natural mechanic – keen to ask questions, picks up practical skills quickly and has a sound understanding of the different parts and tools.”
“I have taught many talented young people, some of whom are now very successful qualified mechanics. This young person in particular is one of the most dedicated students I have ever taught. The young person, even if they can’t fix an issue (yet) is showing great promise in being able to problem-solve and identify where the area of concern is originating from. It has been a privilege to see their aptitude, skillset and knowledge increase since achieving their qualifications.”
Now, on the wishlist is a Transporter Golf R and a Volkswagen. However, the young person says he is already living his dream by working on vehicles every day.
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A student of Kibble’s Skills Academy bolted ahead of thousands to become one of only 20 candidates invited for interview.
The Skills Academy is Kibble’s education and training centre, which supports young people in preparing for their future. Students can gain academic and vocational qualifications and receive help to enter the world of work or begin higher education. Time at the academy boosts confidence and encourages young people to fulfil their potential and achieve.
Young people who attend The Skills Academy often discover an interest in one of the various subject choices available and start to consider pursuing a livelihood in their preferred industry. For one particular young person, their curiosity lay in building, operating machinery and understanding how technical tools function. The student has excelled in engineering-related subjects. As well as prioritising English and Maths, the young person fully engages in the practical lessons, career guidance and employer partnerships that the Skills Academy can offer.
At the academy, the young person has spent time in the construction and joinery workshop and successfully completed their Construction Craft and Technician SCQF Level 4 qualification. The hands-on learning experience of technical drawing, building stable structures and health and safety provided a solid foundation of how to learn about engineering.
Also, the young person attended West College Scotland and completed an Introduction to Engineering. The coursework involved studying: mechanical and fabrication, electrical and electronic, and maintenance. The insight into key topics confirmed this is the field the young person has the power to excel in.
The employer partnership between Kibble’s Skills Academy and Howden Compressors led to a 10-week taster apprenticeship for the young person. The young person joined the team at the major engineering firm and saw for themselves the camaraderie of all who were dedicated to forming a finalised product from separate components. The packed schedule only strengthened the motivation of the aspiring engineer.
The young person described their first look into the world of engineering as exciting. Immediately, from the very first day, he felt welcome. He explained: “On my first day I was given workwear, work boots and a red hard hat – whereas everyone who worked there wore a white hat. This is another safety measure, so that visitors can easily be identified. I was the only red hat, which made me stand out but each person who passed by me said hello and was friendly.”
“I was taught that each area designed a specific component, before helping slot the sections together. It was fascinating to see the process from beginning to end and the attention to detail at every stage.”
“I enjoyed meeting new people too. The people I worked with explained their career journeys and it made me imagine the steps I would take to become an engineer and hopefully tell a similar story one day. I want a job where the days go quick because I am busy doing something I enjoy. Another dream I have is to travel and engineering is a job that could let me work abroad or save up to go on holiday.”
“Once the 10-week placement ended, I decided to apply for Howden’s Apprenticeship Programme. I knew it was popular with thousands of applicants but that didn’t stop me from trying and sharing my enthusiasm for the company.”
“When I applied for the official Howdens Apprenticeship Programme, I was accepted through to the interview stage. I met the other applicants and some had Highers, degrees, and more work experience than me. I started to think there was no way I could compete with them but reminded myself I can keep learning and one day become an engineer. There’s always next year’s round of apprenticeship applications.”
Head of Planning at Howden Compressors, Bruce welcomed the young person’s interest into the world of engineering: “The student showed great enthusiasm and maturity for engineering and if their determination continues, the young person has huge potential to be a bright spark in the industry.”
“Howden Compressors is committed to developing talent, and meeting a young person with a clear sense of direction was inspiring for us as well. During the work placement, they engaged directly with our Apprentices and Engineers, asking questions about the field and each individual’s career path. It was apparent they were eager to learn and genuinely curious about the experiences and insights of those around them.”
The young person’s self-belief is inspiring and he has the full support of his academy Instructors and Employability Coordinator. Resilience is a character trait that cannot be underestimated and together with the education team, the young person will move closer to vision of starting a career as an engineer.
Kibble Employability Coordinator, Gillian says it has been a privilege to watch the student aim to be an engineer. She is proud of the young person for completing the work placement and putting themselves forward for the Apprenticeship Programme while still only a teenager.
Gillian explains how impressed she has been with the young person’s perseverance: “It seemed as if the student took the work placement at Howden in his stride. It was a totally new experience for him, yet he thrived in the workplace and now has a reference for future applications.”
“By reaching the interview stage of Howden’s Apprenticeship Programme, narrowly missing one of the ten apprenticeships available, he remains positive and still eager to become an engineer and continue with college before re-applying to apprenticeship opportunities in the future.”
“He is a winner in our eyes here at the academy.”
This future engineer is only getting started.
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Discover the career journey of Senior Early Years Practitioner Angelina, whose studies at the University of the West of Scotland are funded by Kibble.
Kibble opened Puddle Lane children’s nursery for all families in Renfrewshire, Glasgow and beyond. With a 175-year-old history in child development, our commitment to introduce new services led us to expand and offer high quality, affordable childcare to neighbouring families with an exclusive discount to our staff team. Angelina is one of the experienced Senior Early Years Practitioners at Puddle Lane and her commitment to delivering an outstanding childcare service made her a suitable candidate for Kibble’s Further Study Programme. Angelina is now on track to qualify with a BA (Hons) degree in Early Learning and Childcare from the University of the West of Scotland, funded by Kibble.
Angelina is motivated to be the best Senior Early Years Practitioner she can be by the children. Every morning the little ones run inside, excitedly greeting Angelina with echoes of “morning Lena” and immediately start chatting about what activities they’ll get up to that day. Angelina and her colleagues wholeheartedly agree it is a privilege to be part of the children’s lives, and they strive to deliver outstanding childcare.
Puddle Lane is a happy place to spend time and is a standout childcare service. There are indoor open plan playroom and large gardens, a soft play area, and a dedicated lunch room. The nursery operates as a social enterprise and reinvests into the service, ensuring ongoing development.
Angelina decided to apply for Kibble’s Further Study Programme and qualify in Early Learning and Childcare with the University of the West of Scotland alongside her job at Puddle Lane. The decision to move forward with a university degree while working, demonstrates her commitment to shaping an enriching learning environment for those in the important earliest stages of life.
Angelina shares the motivation behind continuing her studies while working as a Senior Early Years Practitioner: “I absolutely love my job at Puddle Lane and the best thing about working in early years is spending time with the children.”
She acknowledges the big responsibility of balancing university and work: “Yes, studying while working is a massive commitment, but I thoroughly enjoy learning. I have always been studious and being able to gain an even greater understanding of childhood is very valuable to me.”
Angelina is beginning to visualise what having the degree will mean to her: “I can bring new learnings straight into my job at the nursery. To officially have a degree and apply my academic knowledge to help children develop and thrive will be so rewarding.”
Angelina is a friendly and familiar face to the children and families of Puddle Lane. Her organisational skills paired with her creative flair leads to big artistic projects for the little ones to get involved in. Previous arts and crafts activities have involved designed a Halloween Haunted House and photo booth as well as building hand-crafted life-size snowmen.
Watch our video of Senior Early Years Practitioner Angelina
Visit Puddle Lane’s website to find out more about the outstanding children’s nursery in Hillington, or head to Kibble’s recruitment website to join a staff team, dedicated to shaping the world in which children grow up.
Posted: June 17, 2025
Talented young musicians at Kibble’s Goudie Academy were honoured to welcome composer-pianist Brad Kella to their classroom. The 2024 winner of Channel 4’s The Piano took time out of his busy schedule, supporting Gary Barlow’s latest tour, to share his story with young people and inspire their musical journey.
Accompanied by tour manager Luigi, Brad shared his story with young people before performing an incredible piano medley, listening to pupils’ performances and joining in with the harmonies. In his trademark style, Brad took his audience on a journey from classical music to jazz with a Simpson’s melody seamlessly woven in. Some of the pupils have only recently discovered their love and aptitude for music, encouraged by dedicated tuition from Goudie Academy teachers, instructors and creative music partners who widen opportunities and offer immersive learning experiences.
Brad’s Journey to Fame
Brad explained that his interest in playing piano was sparked by his school music teacher who introduced him to playing piano, and recognised his natural aptitude. Keen to nurture his interest, foster parents Eve and Frank bought Brad a keyboard which he practised on for hours each day within his bedroom. As a teenager, Brad was embarrassed to share his new-found hobby with his friends and classmates for fear he may be ridiculed. Many of his friends would be out playing football when Brad would be at home playing piano and composing music. For Brad, the piano was, and continues to remain, a vehicle of expressing emotion when it wasn’t always easy to vocalise. Brad would also enjoy playing piano in public spaces such as train stations and shopping centres, drawing in passers-by with his music.
Brad shared with pupils how hard it can be to appear in front of crowds of people. This was something one pupil related to, sharing that when he performed with Kibble band ‘The Kosmonauts’ at Paisley’s ‘The Bungalow’, he felt sick to stomach with nerves. He didn’t think he was able to do it, but the atmosphere, excitement and encouragement of his bandmates led him out onto that stage and he felt on top of the world!
Brad’s remarkable journey to fame came with many challenges. Having grown up in foster care from the age of seven, his passion at school was music. He started playing piano at the age of 14 and within two months had achieved Grade 8. This was all accomplished despite not being able to read sheet music – Brad’s abilities were truly unique and from the heart. After leaving school he struggled to find work, and found himself homeless by the age of 18. When he got the opportunity to audition for The Piano, he was living in a hostel with his girlfriend and young daughter. A scout for the programme heard him playing and asked him to audition, and the rest as they say is history.
Referring to the pressures of fame, Brad said: “People didn’t leave me alone at the start and I didn’t feel like I could be myself.” He quickly realised you have to be true to yourself: “There’s always people who try to bring you down, especially on social media platforms, and you can’t let them get into your head.
“Music is medicine, pick-up a guitar, be happy – don’t let negativity ruin it. This is your energy that you carry around for the rest of your life”.
Music is universal, there are so many different types from different parts of the world but it’s one language. You can play anywhere in the world and people understand it.”
Inspired by their visitor, Brad was treated to a screening of The Kosmonauts’ performing Screaming Out Loud before listening to our young musicians singing and jamming on the piano to songs from Lewis Capaldi and The Cranberries.
Anything is Possible
After a morning of musical creativity, it was time for Brad and Luigi to move on to their next tour destination, but not before Brad offered some final words of encouragement:
“Anyone in this room, anyone in this world, can do anything. I’m not scared at all to fail, I’m more scared to say I didn’t try.”
Speaking of his visit to Kibble Brad commented “While I was up in Glasgow, I visited Kibble. It was the most I’ve smiled in a long time. The children genuinely melted my heart. The love and passion for music streamed throughout the classroom. I shared my story with kids and let them know anything was possible in life. Whether your care experienced or come from a family with not a lot of money you can still achieve anything. The children listened so intently to what I had to say and were a credit to their school the way they behaved. Kibble will always hold a special place in my heart.
We are very grateful to Brad and Luigi for visiting Kibble, the memories made will stay with our young people and staff for a very long time.
Brad Kella (centre), with Kibble Education team Jackie Swan and Laura Cairns.
Posted: June 11, 2025
A group of playful, four-legged pups spent the day with our young people who are now certain they want a career working with animals.
The Skills Academy invited Paws for Progress to deliver its interactive Personal Development Programme. The dog-assisted learning programme seemed the right fit for youngsters preparing to enter the world of work. The experience brought a confidence boost and reset to students busy navigating application forms, going for interviews and starting a new job. During the session, young people were so focused and concentrated on bonding with the animals that they didn’t realise how much they were learning and could apply to their job search.
Paws for Progress tailored lessons to the group, designing the class around animal-related careers, as our academy students were in the middle of deciding what career or industry they’d like to pursue.
The session helped young people understand how dogs think and how that knowledge can lead to meaningful work in the real world. Topics included dog communication, how dogs learn and caring for dogs. Along with engaging activities such as dog sports, scent work, canine first aid, assistance dog training and exploring animal-related careers.
Young people thoroughly enjoyed spending time with the animals. Highlights included designing obstacle courses, learning how dogs use their sense of smell in working roles, practising canine first aid with stuffed dogs and understanding the tasks performed by assistance dogs.
Now, it’s time to work towards waking up everyday in a rewarding job role that involves caring for animals. The students were delighted to receive a certificate from Paws for Progress to add to their CV, marking their experience.
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Young people pursuing a career in construction took part in sustainability training delivered by The Verdancy Group.
Young people hoping to one day have a career in construction can gain the necessary qualifications and experience at The Skills Academy. Alongside the set timetable with familiar instructors, the academy welcomes external businesses to host workshops. Students speak directly with professionals and potential future employers, giving them a deeper insight into the industry they are interested in.
The Verdancy Group, which delivers sustainability training and guidance to organisations, came along to teach our construction students how to consider the environment when completing building projects. The practical session involved tutorials, group tasks and technical training on topics spanning heat loss and ventilation.
Students saw for first-hand the difference that sustainable approaches can have on energy efficiency. Retrofitting buildings with improved green technologies helps control indoor temperatures and lowers energy bills. Plus, proper insulation creates a healthier living space, maintaining property value. The training motivated the future developers to state their preference would be to design and build in ways that strives to minimise the carbon footprint.
Questions from young people were answered by real-world consultants. The genuine enthusiasm that the experts had about the growing importance of sustainability in construction energised young people to caring about the environment too.
As the academy students continue working towards a career in construction, their understanding of building sustainably, adds a competitive edge to their CV in an increasingly eco-conscious field.
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Youngsters, who are working towards their SQA qualification in construction, built a wooden workshop, using a power saw to repurpose leftover timber.
Construction Instructor Craig is an experienced joiner who mentors young people interested in learning a trade. Craig motivates the aspiring apprentices to get involved in a wide range of development projects, becoming confident in using different tools safely, taking measurements, and building pieces into place. He wants young people to take pride in what they are working on and makes the time to share the purpose and function of the build. By being interested from the start, young people are more likely to pay close attention to detail throughout the manual process and realise the reward in watching their progression be the reason for a visible transformation.
The Skills Academy is Kibble’s education and training centre that helps young people prepare for the world of work. Pupils who may not have enjoyed going to school before, now have the opportunity to try a new learning environment. Within the academy, there are dedicated areas for each subject. There’s our car garage for mechanics, greenhouses for gardening, and a large open-plan space to build, bricklay and operate machinery for construction.
An essential part of being a joiner is woodwork, and when teaching, pieces of wood need to be cut with power saws. To help contain the dust, an enclosed workshop within the shared space would be useful, and the opportunity to build one happened when a previous project had leftover timber. Immediately, Craig envisioned a plan for a wooden structure, big enough to house the large power saw and cut wood.
Instructor Craig and the students worked together and an an impressive structure is beginning to take shape within the construction site at The Skills Academy in Hillington.
Craig explained the thought required: “A lot of work went into the build, and there are still stages to go through before it becomes a workable area. All the slats of timber had to be cut to the exact brick size of 200mm x 70mm for the brick-slip look.”
“I really try to use my imagination to set up fun and valuable projects that young people will buy into. I know myself how much more enjoyable it is to complete a project you can visualise.”
“I want them to stay committed and see the project through, even with all the ups and downs that come with being a teenager figuring out their path. Hopefully they’ll learn a bigger life lesson and prove to themselves that they can finish what they start – even if life gets complicated.”
Kibble is striving to become more environmentally conscious and The Skills Academy has a dedicated Green Skills and Sustainability Instructor. Recycling materials in our lessons is one way we incorporate sustainability.
Through practical projects and a commitment to sustainable practices, these young people are not only building their skills but also shaping a brighter future for themselves and the community.
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Young people repurposed their leftover coffee beans to grow mushrooms in a shift to become more sustainable. The academy is proactively finding ways to reuse products and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, which damages the environment.
The job market is increasingly demanding workers be able to fill vacancies in sectors related to sustainability and green skills. The majority of businesses are striving to find ways to adapt and become more environmentally-friendly, which has led to the UK’s green economy to be valued in the billions. Young people share the ambition of taking better care of the world around them and show genuine interest in learning about horticulture and taking part in lessons that involve fun practical projects.
The Skills Academy is determined to equip young people with an understanding of how to care for the planet’s future, providing a strong foundation that could potentially be applied to industries like renewable energy, low-carbon technologies and waste management, where job creation is growing rapidly.
Instructors and students are encouraging one another to consider green skills and sustainability in everyday life at the academy. When restocking the barista training supplies for making café-style coffees, youngsters decided to turn the outdated coffee beans into a sustainability project.
Youngsters worked alongside Sustainability and Green Skills Instructor, Joe, to grow mushrooms from the old coffee. Joe explained the scientific process: “A clear container was used for us to see the mycelium colonise the old coffee grounds before sprouting the mushrooms.”
The class discussed how growing mushrooms could become a profitable business – selling the produce to restaurants and cafes that focus on farm-to-table dining; farmers’ markets and factories that manufacture mushrooms to be bought in supermarkets. The lesson successfully inspired young people to think of all the ways different waste products could be reused creatively.
Seeing the coffee beans grow into mushrooms had the youngsters in awe: “You have to see it to believe it! It was cool to actually see a mushroom form in front of us. Normally, fungi live underground but we got to watch it grow.”
As the warmer weather (hopefully) approaches, The Skills Academy is keen to try new and exciting biodiversity projects in the garden.
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Young people visited Scottish Leather Group to find out how the biggest leather maker in the United Kingdom has found ways to consider people and the planet within their business operations.
Students who attend The Skills Academy have a growing interest in the world around them. Now, more than ever, young people contemplate the consequences of climate change and want to know how to help stop global warming.
Scottish Leather Group has meticulously worked towards lowering their carbon emissions to create the lowest carbon intensity leather in the world and become an example to other industry leaders across every sector to factor in the environment. A visit to see their business processes in action was an ideal field trip for environmentally-driven students.
Young people saw for themselves how a career in design, manufacturing and engineering has the power to find sustainable solutions that can help protect the environment and benefit future generations.
