Llanelli man finds new direction with help from Workways

A 54 year old man from Llanelli has found job success after 14 years away from the workplace.

Thanks to a helping hand from South West Workways, an EU-backed employment project, Mark Simlett has secured cleaning jobs with CBSA for Business and Social Action and Five Roads Primary School.

Prior to joining Workways, Mark Simlett had been the sole carer for both his parents and latterly just his mother for nearly 14 years. When his mother passed away in 2009, Mark was hit hard.

He said “For a long time I was very lost. Looking back, it was a scary place to be – I had to dig deep to get through each day.”

Despite his best efforts to gain stability by finding work, Mark had been out of employment for so long that he was unable to secure any job interviews. As a result, he turned to Workways for support.

Through the project, Mark attended a confidence building course; received training and CV assistance; was supported to search for job vacancies and also accessed a paid temporary job which gave him the vital experience needed to find employment.

Mark said “Workways helped me to work out the right choices for my career. It meant a lot to know there was always someone there to help me if I had a problem or if I wasn’t sure how to fill in an application form. The confidence they gave me made a massive difference.”

When Mark secured a pair of cleaning jobs, to say he was pleased was an understatement.

“It’s a freedom to know that I’ve got a job to go to; to know that my finances are going alright and to know that I don’t have to worry any more. I’m ready for tomorrow now – before it was the opposite.

“Workways really turned it around for me – they’ve been a godsend. Rather than what can you do for them, it was always a case of what can they do for you,” he said.

Martin Morgan, a Workways mentor, is full of praise for how far Mark has come with the project.

“We had faith in him and knew he’d get there in the end. Initially, Mark didn’t believe in himself but gradually it changed – he now has confidence he can do it.”