Mick’s Story: A newfound confidence and a new career
When Mick first came to the Restart Scheme and met the team at Jobs 22's Cannock, he had taken a break from work since 2015 to care for his mother, who has since sadly passed away. The experience had impacted his mental and physical health, which had deteriorated since he'd last been in full-time work as a setter in a foundry.
Senior Employment Coach Michelle Peakman knew Mick needed support to re-enter the workforce. "We supported Mick with his mental health and anxiety. We built his confidence by supporting him with his CV, interview, and application skills. We could see he had so much to offer an employer and needed extra help on his journey."
Mick was interested in driving and security roles. Sophie, Michelle, and Skills trainer Diane helped him upskill through access to industry-relevant online courses. Mick's hard work paid off, and he is currently working as a driver for the Staffordshire branch of a national charity.
Employment Coach Sophie Singh said Mick's change in confidence is fantastic: "The confidence Mick is now displaying is unbelievable, and how much he is enjoying his role is clearly shown in his whole character."
Mick speaks highly of the team in Cannock:
"Jobs 22 were excellent during my time on the Restart Scheme. I had two employment coaches, Michelle and Sophie. When I first joined, I was not in a good place, suffering with my physical and mental health, but the team soon put me at ease. Nothing was ever too much trouble. They were always at the end of the phone when I needed them and never put any pressure or stress on me. If I needed assistance, I could pop into the office to get help, even if I didn't have an appointment booked. I couldn't find my birth certificate, which I needed to apply for work, so they ordered one for me straight away.
Diane helped me with my CV, confidence-building, and interview skills. She also helped me with the application for my current role. I was interested in the SIA licence, so they put me on a course and paid for it. The provider offered me work, but it was too far to commute. Jobs 22 also helped me enrol in online Digital College courses, which helped me greatly with my current role; I did safeguarding, first aid at work and managing anxiety training. When I got the job interview, they helped me cover the fuel payments to get to the tests and interview for my current role.
I really can't thank Jobs 22 enough for everything they did."