Millie’s Career Ready journey: gaining confidence and workplace experience with Sight Scotland

For many young people, work experience is an important first step towards understanding the world of work, building confidence and discovering future career possibilities. For young people with sight loss, finding an inclusive opportunity can sometimes be more challenging.

Millie Williams, a Portobello High School pupil with the rare genetic eye condition Leber's congenital amaurosis, knows this from experience. Visually impaired since birth, Millie was not diagnosed until she was five because of the rarity of her condition.

Determined to gain workplace experience and explore her career ambitions, Millie joined the Career Ready programme and was matched with Sight Scotland for a four-week internship with our People and Culture team.

The placement gave Millie the opportunity to develop new skills, meet colleagues and gain first-hand experience of working in a professional environment.

A first step into the world of work

Before joining Sight Scotland, Millie had found it difficult to secure work experience. Some employers were unsure about how best to support a young person with visual impairment, making it harder for her to find an opportunity.

She says:

“I'd never had any work experience before, and finding opportunities can be really challenging when you have a visual impairment. Some employers simply haven't worked with someone who has sight loss before, so they can be unsure about what support might be needed and are sometimes reluctant to offer placements. That can be really discouraging when you're trying to gain experience and build your confidence.”

Being matched with Sight Scotland provided an opportunity to gain experience in an organisation where sight loss is understood and where Millie's skills and potential could take centre stage.

“When I was matched with Sight Scotland, I was delighted. It felt like the perfect place to start because everyone understood the challenges that I face on a daily basis, but more importantly they also focused on what I can do rather than what I can't. I've had the chance to learn new skills, meet new people and gain valuable experience in a real working environment.”

Putting her experience of sight loss to work

During her internship, Millie visited several Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans services, including the Royal Blind School, Scottish Braille Press and Veterans Activity Centres.

She also worked with the People and Culture team on its Attraction, Recruitment and Onboarding (ARO) project.

"As part of this, I reviewed websites and digital platforms used by the organisation to see how welcoming and engaging they were, particularly for younger people like me. I also looked at how accessible they were for people with visual impairments, helping to identify ways to make them more inclusive for everyone.”

Her lived experience gave her a valuable perspective on how organisations can make their digital experiences more inclusive.

Building confidence for the future

For Millie, the internship was about much more than gaining experience for her CV. It helped her become more confident communicating with others, asking for support and contributing as part of a team.

“Working with Sight Scotland has been an amazing experience. Being part of an organisation where people genuinely understand visual impairment has made a huge difference. The team has been incredibly welcoming and supportive from day one. They've given me opportunities to learn, develop new skills and gain experience that will help me in the future.”

Reflecting on how much she has gained from the placement, Millie adds:

“Before I started, I could be quite nervous about introducing myself or asking for help when I needed it. Now, I feel much more comfortable communicating with others and taking part in conversations. It's also given me a real insight into what working life is like and what it means to be part of a team. The placement has really boosted my confidence and shown me that my visual impairment doesn't have to hold me back.”

Creating opportunities for young people with sight loss

Sight Scotland's Director of People and Culture, Carol Ann Boyer, says Millie's contribution has been valuable to the organisation as well as to her own development.

“It has been fantastic to welcome Millie to the team and watch her grow in confidence throughout her placement. Work experience plays a vital role in helping young people develop skills, explore career options and prepare for the future, and we are proud to provide those opportunities in an inclusive and supportive environment.”

Carol Ann hopes Millie's experience will encourage other employers to recognise the contribution disabled young people can make in the workplace.

“Young people with vision impairments should have the same opportunities to gain workplace experience and pursue their career ambitions as anyone else. We hope Millie's story encourages more organisations to open their doors to disabled young people and recognise the talent, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives they can bring to the workplace.”