At just 17 years old, Ellie Scott was offered the job with Family Funeral Directors, Fosters after they found in her a 'bright, curious mind’ who has ‘translated perfectly to the industry’.

Ellie was matched up to the opportunity earlier this year by the council’s Youth employability service, Aspire following a referral by her pupil support teacher at Calderglen High. Like the hundreds of other young people across South Lanarkshire that Aspire works with each year, Ellie had disengaged from school and faced an uncertain path to work. 

However, during the first meeting with Aspire key worker Debbie Taggart, Ellie revealed she had long harboured an ambition to work in the funeral industry, and that was enough to trigger a tentative inquiry from Debbie to local funeral director Fosters, Rutherglen. 

And following a successful interview and week of work placement, Ellie was offered a permanent job on the spot, offering her a career path she describes as a 'privilege’. 

She went on: “When I met Debbie, I told her that I really liked the idea of having such an important part in a family’s life at such a challenging time. I think she was surprised that a young person wanted to do this, but when she saw how keen I was she just ran with it. I couldn’t believe it a week later when she told me there was a meeting lined up with Fosters.” 

Although she admits to being ‘terrified’ at the prospect of an interview, Ellie took it in her stride impressing the team so much with her pragmatism and maturity that the company created a role just for her. 

Modestly, she credits Debbie and the Aspire team for helping her each step of the way and opening doors she feared would be closed to a 17-year-old school leaver who just didn’t ‘get’ school. Added Ellie: “I would say to anyone who gets to 5th or 6th year and who still isn’t enjoying school to definitely take the option of a meeting with Aspire. 

"I am doing things I never thought I could. After just seven months in the job, I can’t imagine wanting to do anything else; it’s a privilege and it’s all down to Aspire and Fosters for both taking a chance on me.” 

For Debbie and her colleagues at Aspire, it really is all in a day’s work. She explained: “The role that we play in supporting young people into positive destinations is different with everyone we work with. In Ellie’s case, she had the spark and the determination, and my job was to help create the opportunity as, to date, this was an industry with which we hadn’t worked. 

“I have to say that I was delighted when I reached out to Fosters at how open they were to take what was potentially a big gamble on a young person in what might be considered an unusual career aspiration. 

“But both they, and Ellie, have been phenomenal, so much so that at the end of a successful work experience week, Fosters offered her a permanent job on the spot. For everyone involved it has been such a rewarding and inspirational journey.”

Nick McLaughlin, MD of Fosters admitted the company knew it was taking a risk on such a young person. He added: “Working in the funeral industry is an uncommon choice for young people at the beginning of their careers; it is often veiled in mystery and stereotype, especially for those who have yet to experience loss in their own lives. 

"It requires maturity, rationality, a cool head, and a warm heart – not qualities some would expect to be present in many 17-year-olds. So, it would not be unexpected to have misgivings about introducing a young person into a world where the odds of them being successful would seem low. 

“We were unsure how our customers, experiencing a deep sense of loss and other visceral and complex emotions, might respond. We worried about the more practical aspect of working in the funeral industry, specifically how a young person might react to being exposed to deceased persons and their ability to assimilate to the tasks needed. But, in Ellie, the Aspire programme found a bright, curious mind with a level-headed nature and paired her with Fosters. 

"We have found that Ellie has translated perfectly to this industry and our own culture. With careful monitoring and mitigations to ensure Ellie’s welfare, we have found her to be a diligent, dedicated, and hardworking colleague. We couldn’t be more delighted about her performance and for her.” 

Rob Milligan, Youth Employability Lead at Aspire explained that each and every young person his team works with brings new challenges, successes, and experiences, and none more so than in Ellie’s case. 

He said: “Aspire has links with all of South Lanarkshire’s secondary schools and we meet hundreds of young people each year, often when things are not going so well in their lives. They might struggle with school or have become disillusioned with learning completely. 

“It’s our job to look at each and every situation on its own merits, and while we have a network of businesses and employers we work with, we always have to be ready to think outside of the box as Debbie has done in reaching out to Fosters for Ellie. 

“Working with young people can be demanding and challenging but so inspirational and for Ellie, we were all blown away by the determination, commitment, and maturity she has shown. Our job is essentially to create a level playing field for the young people we work with, to be an advocate for those already full of potential, and to support them to take that next step. 

“Making a difference is hugely rewarding but when someone like Ellie comes along and the hard work of all involved pays off so successfully, there is nothing like it.” 

And at Foster's, MD Nick is keen that Ellie’s story inspires other organisations to take the leap of faith that his did. 

“I would encourage other firms to consider working with Aspire who have taken great care to find the right person to work in the right industry.  Whilst Fosters and Aspire, particularly Debbie, Ellie’s Key Worker, have played a role in facilitating a new career for a young person, its success is down to Ellie. She has demonstrated to her colleagues, and me, that when given the opportunity, the proper support, and an encouraging word that it’s not always about the experience a candidate has but their attitude.”