Maximus Barker
Darlington,Durham
Summary
Resourceful professional with achievements including Bronze Duke of Edinburgh and Bronze IDEA Award. Demonstrates calm under pressure, strong problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills. Proficient in team building, strategic planning, leadership, and inventory management. Committed to leveraging skills for organizational success and pursuing further qualifications to enhance expertise. A proactive and highly motivated 16-year-old with a proven commitment to self-development and leadership. I have balanced academic studies with pursuing advanced qualifications, including the Duke of Edinburgh Award, MIAS Mountain Bike Leadership, and the iDEA Award. I am a disciplined individual who excels in both digital environments and outdoor leadership, now seeking to apply my skills in a professional setting.
Overview
1
1
year of professional experience
2
2
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Shop worker
Genuine army surplus
Darlington, Durham
2025.07 - 2025.07
- Assisted customers in the selection of products for personalised shopping experiences.
- Kept shelves stocked and neat, enhancing store appearance.
- Maintained a safe shopping environment by adhering to safety regulations.
- Performed inventory checks regularly, resulting in optimal stock levels.
- Handled telephone enquiries professionally, providing helpful responses promptly.
- Managed stock levels effectively to ensure product availability at all times.
- Worked collaboratively with team members to maintain a clean, well-organised shop floor.
- Demonstrated strong product knowledge to assist customers in making informed purchases.
- Provided accurate information about products to aid customer decisions.
- Organised stock and checkout area proactively between serving customers to maintain orderly shop floor.
- Shelved and merchandised new products in visually appealing, organised displays to engage customers.
- Updated product labelling and pricing to reflect discounts and offers.
Charity shop volunteer
Barnardo's
Darlington, Durham
2024.11 - 2025.05
- Prepared premises and supplies for arriving guests.
- Upheld strict confidentiality when handling sensitive donor information.
- Packaged sold items carefully for optimal customer satisfaction post-purchase.
- Organised stock room for ease of access and improved efficiency.
- Conducted regular inventory checks for up-to-date record keeping.
- Worked as part of a diverse team, fostering a positive working atmosphere.
- Maintained cleanliness and hygiene standards throughout the shop floor.
- Maintained clean, tidy storefronts for good first impressions and increased footfall.
- Processed, labelled and displayed donations quickly to maximise sales opportunities.
- Regularly cleaned and straightened work areas, ensuring stores stayed tidy in line with company standards.
- Received and safely stored donations in appropriate locations.
- Adhered to charity organisation policies and procedures.
- Used exceptional communication and relationship-building skills to effectively liaise with colleagues, management and service users.
- Tagged products quickly and accurately with price tags and stickers.
Food bank volunteer
The Salvation Army
Darlington, Durham
2024.02 - 2024.08
- Cultivated positive relationships with suppliers, improving quantity of donations received.
- Coordinated volunteers to improve efficiency of operations.
- Organised successful donation drives throughout the year.
- Streamlined food distribution by organising canned goods and non-perishable items.
- Communicated effectively with diverse groups of donors and recipients.
- Provided compassionate service to individuals seeking help at the food bank.
- Ensured strict hygiene standards whilst handling donated foods.
- Created warm, welcoming environment for service users' duration of stay.
- Comfortably interacted with people with limited use of English.
- Adapted to changing circumstances and maintained positive attitude in challenging situations.
- Facilitated communication between volunteer staff to carry out tasks.
- Used exceptional communication and relationship-building skills to effectively liaise with colleagues, management and service users.
Education
GCSEs - engineering systems and control, computer science, STEM, Engineering manufacturing
UTC South Durham
Newton Aycliffe, Durham 2024.09 - 2026.06
Skills
- Bronze Duke of Edinburgh
- Bronze idea award
- Calm under pressure
- Problem-solving
- Communication skills
- Team building
- Strategic planning
- Resourcefulness
- Leadership
- Inventory management
- Knowledge of soldering
- Knowledge of social media advertisment
- Knowledge of microsoft office 365
- computer troubleshooting
- Programme development
Accomplishments
- Qualification: MIAS Mountain Bike Leader level 1
- Skills gained: Demonstrated expertise in group management , risk assessment , and emergency trail-side repairs .
- Impact: Developed the ability to lead and coach diverse groups in varied off-road environments while ensuring safety and technical excellence.
- Level: Bronze Award, on doing silver and gold
- Skills gained: Enhanced resilience , teamwork , and navigation through challenging multi-day expeditions.
- Impact: Successfully completed volunteering and physical components, showing long-term commitment to community service and self-improvement.
- Level: Bronze Award
- Skills gained: Mastered industry-recognised badges in cybersecurity , coding , and digital ethics .
- Impact: Developed a modern digital toolkit, proving the ability to work independently on self-paced, technical projects.
Mountain-Bike Instructors' Award Scheme (MIAS)
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE)
Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA)
Affiliations
- army cadets: I am a lance corporal which in tales the following teaching, helping organise events, volunteering and much more. with out the army cadets I would not have been able to do any of my achievements so i am really thank full for them.
- sea cadets
- rock climbing
- mountain biking
- ethical hacking
Certification
- DAO Level 3 Award in emergency first aid in the workplace, if required i can send a copy of my certificates.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Shop worker
Genuine army surplus
2025.07 - 2025.07
Charity shop volunteer
Barnardo's
2024.11 - 2025.05
GCSEs - engineering systems and control, computer science, STEM, Engineering manufacturing
UTC South Durham
2024.09 - 2026.06
Food bank volunteer
The Salvation Army
2024.02 - 2024.08