End goal in sight – Derek’s story

Derek attended a Restart Scheme careers fair and was invited to a trial shift the following day! Here’s what he had to say about his experience as a Restart Scheme participant:

“I attended a careers fair through the Restart Scheme and after visiting several stalls, I got speaking to an employer and had a good chat about what I was looking for and what they could offer. They invited me to a trial shift the following day at a local recycling centre, I was so happy!

“For my trial shift, I was rushed to get myself equipped with uniform, which luckily I had enough at home already to enable an immediate start. After just four weeks, the council were so impressed that I was asked to apply for a flexi manager position, which I did, and I got the job!”

When Derek was referred to the Restart Scheme by his Work Coach at Jobcentre Plus, he expressed how he needed support with updating his CV as this was something he felt was holding him back from getting to interview stage. Our Employment Adviser, Kim, was able run through his previous experience and skills and support Derek with making an excellent CV tailored to the job he wanted.

Following the Restart Scheme jobs fair that Derek attended, and the success he had with his job trial, we were able to provide vouchers towards personal protective equipment, work clothes, and the reimbursement of his travel costs. This was to ensure that Derek had a smooth transition back into employment and that he wasn’t financially stretched prior to his first payday.

Although Derek was only with the Restart Scheme for a few months, he was eager to get going when he joined, with an end goal already in sight. We’re really pleased to see him happy in his new job role, well done Derek!