Moving from education into employment can feel like a big step into the unknown for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). At Zoom by Ocado — Our rapid grocery delivery service — students from Orchard Hill College are gaining hands-on workplace experience at the Acton site, helping them build skills and confidence for what comes next.
Learning what the world of work is really like
Over 10 weeks, students spend every Wednesday and Thursday on site, completing 80 hours of work experience with a dedicated supervisor. They take on a picking role designed to provide an accessible introduction to working life, with simple instructions, less movement and user-friendly screens on the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP).
Okan Genc, Specialist Operations Trainer, delivers their day-one induction, adapted to keep students engaged and make the learning accessible. Practical training allows them to put what they’ve learned into practice and build confidence in their role.
For the students, the experience has also helped build confidence and show them what they’re capable of.
“On my first day I was really scared and I didn’t think I could do it, but now I know I am good at it and I want to come back every week.” - Student, Orchard Hill College
Creating a more inclusive environment
The programme is helping SEND learners understand what working life could look like after college, while giving our colleagues the opportunity to build their understanding of neurodiversity.
So far, seven students across two cohorts have taken part, with five completing their placements. A third cohort started on Wednesday 23 September.
Katherine Cooke, Training Development Partner, delivered a session for Team Managers at Zoom Acton, covering autism, ADHD and practical ways to support students. This included sensory boxes donated by our Neurodiversity Community.
Opening the door to what comes next
The support doesn’t have to end when a student’s placement does.
The team at Zoom Acton remains connected with an agency that provides government-supported employment support for neurodiverse people, helping students explore their options and take their next steps towards employment. One student has already been registered with the agency to help them find their next opportunity.
A huge thank you to Tarik Soloman, Chris Cox, Okan Genc, Katherine Cooke, Nakeeran Mootyen, Haroon Hemat, Rhys Soares, Elisa Canini and everyone at Orchard Hill College for their time, support and commitment in making this programme possible, and for helping to create meaningful opportunities for SEND learners to experience the world of work.
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