Power of perseverance - Eric's story

When Eric joined the Restart Scheme, he explained that although he was actively applying for jobs, he wasn’t receiving responses or progressing to the interview stage. He had clear and realistic job goals, primarily within cleaning, warehousing, or retail roles that aligned with his previous experience and strong work ethic.

Our team supports participants to develop their employability skills and take the next steps towards work. Many demonstrate strong determination to overcome barriers, rebuild confidence, and achieve a better future.

Eric worked closely with his Employment Adviser Megan, and together, they created a gold standard CV that clearly highlighted his skills and experience. Megan completed a Better Off Calculation to give insight on the potential earnings he could make against the hours worked, demonstrating the positive impacts of returning to work. With these tools in place, and newfound confidence, Eric began applying for roles with his new CV.

The Restart Scheme delivers in‑house courses that strengthen key employability skills, such as CV tailoring and interview preparation. Practical training enables participants to build confidence, become job‑ready, and succeed at work.

Megan shared: “Although Eric was highly motivated, the early stages of his journey were tough. He applied for roles but didn’t receive the responses he had hoped for. Instead of losing confidence, Eric remained focused continued to develop his application process.

As Eric’s journey progressed, he transitioned to weekly appointments, providing consistent support. We worked together on new applications and collaborated with partner employers to identify local vacancies.

Only a few days passed before Eric was invited to interview with our contacts at OCS, where he was offered a cleaning role!

“For Eric, this was more than just securing a job and proof that perseverance truly pays off. Eric's achievement shows that even after repeated setbacks, hope can still lead to opportunity”, said Megan

Eric is enjoying his new role, being able to provide for his family and build a routine again with working life. We wish him all the best in his new job and for the future.