NPT Employability helps Stephen onto the scrapheap!
Long term unemployed Neath resident Stephen Hughes aged 55 was determined to get back in employment. Last employed as a factory cleaner, Stephen wanted to find a local job that would be more challenging and he would enjoy. DWP referred Stephen to NPT Employability, the Neath Port Talbot Council service that helps people with funded training, paid work experience and provides employment mentors to work with people on a 1-1 basis.
NPT Employability assigned Stephen a mentor, Neil, to work with him. The issue for Stephen was that he didn’t have qualifications and his CV was not helping him to get interviews. Neil arranged for Stephen to take part in a Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work. Stephen passed the course and now has the NQF level 3 certificate, which has strengthened his CV.
Next Neil brought in NPT Employability Employer Liaison Officer Lesley to introduce Stephen to potential employers. Lesley contacted Paul Watkins, Operations Manager for Port Talbot based company AWD Group.
The AWD Group provides waste management and recycling solutions to UK based companies. The AWD Group has previously employed people put forward by NPT Employability. Paul agreed to provide Stephen with work experience as a Recycling Operative.
Lesley arranged for a ‘Paid Work Opportunity’. A PWO is a service provided through NPT Employability which enables an employer to provide work experience to an unemployed person with NPT Employability paying the persons wage.
A PWO provides valuable work experience for the employee and allows an employer to look at a potential employee to see whether they are a good fit for the business before they commit to paying wages. A PWO can be up to 12 weeks and often leads to a full time job offer. Stephen commenced his PWO with AWD and impressed Paul with his positive ‘can do’ attitude. At the end of the 12 weeks, Paul was delighted to offer a Stephen a full time job.
Stephen said, “I am enjoying my work and can’t see myself leaving. I am earning way more than I had through benefits. I can thank NPT Employability for helping me get my job and I would recommend anyone looking for work, no matter how long you have been unemployed to get in touch with them for help”.
Paul Watkins said, “Stephen is of a generation that likes to roll up their sleeves and crack on. He always ask what’s needed next. We really value working with NPT Employability and have had a great track record of taking on their people. The PWO is an excellent service and we would recommend any employer get in touch with them.”
NPT Employability is a Neath Port Talbot Council service and is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. For information on how NPT Employability can help you please call 01639 684250.
