Llanelli man carves out his future in finance

John King, 32 from Llanelli,was a self-employed carpenter for a number of years. In 2013 John made the hard decision to look for work as the stress of being self-employed as an independent contractor became too difficult.

During 2013, John was referred to South West Workways by Llanelli Jobcentre Plus.He was keen to try anything and was open to suggestions. He worked closely with his Mentor, Jake, and was put forward to gain his CSCS card, whichwould open up lots of construction opportunities. John’s Mentor quickly sourced a vacancy with Green Deal Energy Assessors, based in Swansea, and John was given the opportunity of a temporary job opportunity and access to the training to become a qualified energy assessor.At the end of the temporary Job opportunity, John was offered a full time vacancy, where he worked for 4 years until the company terminated.

With the prospect of job seeking again, John and an old school friend, Ryan Stanton, who he worked with at Green Deal, decided to branch out and establish their own claims company. At the beginning of 2017 John and Ryan opened their own shop in Llanelli Town Centre, namely Cymru Claims. Their aim is to change people’s perception of claimcompanies; the shop provides aplace where people can pop in for a no obligation PPI check.

Now open 6 months, the boys have helped lots of customers reclaim thousands of pounds back for clients from a number of high street banks.

John King said “I was extremely grateful to Workways for the supporting me, after being self-employed for years I didn’t know where to turn. My Mentor re-built my confidence, helped me find work and still touches base with me to check on my journey. I am so happy now, we opened the shop earlier in the year, and we have gone from strength to strength.Ryan and I have so much job satisfaction from helping people reclaim what they’re owed. Thank you Workways.”

Cllr Emlyn Dole, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council and Lead Member for Economic Development, said: “I’m delighted that Workways was able to support John when he decided that he wanted to move from self-employment into employment.

“He was able to regain his confidence, gain qualifications and a full-time job, and and now four years later has set up in business with a friend. John’s is a real success story and it’s great that he appreciates Workways’ contribution to what he has achieved.”

Workways+ is backed by £7.5m from the European Social Fundthrough the Welsh Government. The project is led by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council in collaboration with Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Councils.

To find out more information about Workways+, call 01639 684250 or visit www.workways.wales

Datganiad i’r Wasg – Dyn o Lanelli’n dechrau ei ddyfodol ym maes cyllid

Roedd John King o Lanelli, 32 oed, yn saer coed hunangyflogedig am nifer o flynyddoedd. Yn 2013, penderfynodd fynd i edrych am waith oherwydd bod y straen o fod yn hunangyflogedig fel contractwr annibynnol yn rhy anodd.

Yn 2013 cafodd John ei gyfeirio at brosiect Gweithffyrdd y De-orllewin gan Ganolfan Byd Gwaith Llanelli. Roedd yn awyddus i roi cynnig ar unrhyw beth ac yn barod i wrando ar awgrymiadau. Bu’n gweithio’n agos gyda’i fentor, Jake, a chynigiwyd ei enw er mwyn ennill ei gerdyn CSCS, a fyddai’n arwain at lawer o gyfleoedd adeiladu. Yn fuan iawn daeth ei fentor, Jake, o hyd i swydd wag gyda Green Deal Energy Assessors yn Abertawe, a chafodd John swydd dros dro a mynediad i hyfforddiant i fod yn aseswr ynni cymwysedig. Ar ddiwedd y swydd dros dro, cynigiwyd swydd amser llawn i John, lle bu’n gweithio am 4 blynedd tan i’r cwmni ddod i ben.

Gyda’r posibilrwydd o orfod dod o hyd i swydd newydd unwaith eto, penderfynodd John, a’i hen ffrind o’r ysgol, Ryan Stanton, a oedd yn gweithio gydag ef yn Green Deal, sefydlu eu cwmni hawlio eu hunain. Ar ddechrau 2017, agorodd John a Ryan eu siop eu hunain yng nghanol tref Llanelli, o’r enw Cymru Claims. Eu nod yw newid canfyddiad pobl o gwmnïau hawlio; mae’r siop yn rhywle gall pobl alw heibio am wiriad Yswiriant Gwarchod Taliadau heb rwymedigaeth.

Bellach ar agor am 6 mis, mae’r bechgyn wedi helpu llawer o gwsmeriaid i adennill miloedd o bunnoedd i gleientiaid o nifer o fanciau’r stryd fawr.

Meddai John King, “Roeddwn i’n hynod ddiolchgar i raglen Gweithffyrdd am fy nghefnogi i, ar ôl bod yn hunangyflogedig am flynyddoedd nid oeddwn i’n gwybod lle i fynd am help. Anogodd fi i fagu hyder unwaith eto, a fy helpu wrth ddod o hyd i waith ac mae’n dal i gysylltu â fi ynghylch fy nhaith. Rwy’n hapus iawn nawr, agorom y siop yn gynharach eleni ac rydym wedi mynd o nerth i nerth. Rydw i a Ryan yn cael cymaint o foddhad swydd drwy helpu pobl i adennill yr hyn sy’n ddyledus iddyn nhw. Diolch Gweithffyrdd.”

Meddai’r Cyng. Emlyn Dole, Arweinydd Cyngor Sir Gâr a’r Aelod Arweiniol dros Ddatblygiad Economaidd, “Rwy’n falch iawn bod Gweithffyrdd wedi gallu cefnogi John pan benderfynodd ei fod am symud o fod yn hunangyflogedig i gyflogaeth.

“Llwyddodd i fagu hyder unwaith eto, ennill cymwysterau a chael swydd amser llawn a, nawr, bedair blynedd yn ddiweddarach, mae wedi sefydlu busnes gyda ffrind. Mae John yn stori lwyddiant go iawn ac mae’n wych ei fod yn gwerthfawrogi cyfraniad Gweithffyrdd i’r hyn y mae wedi’i gyflawni.”

Cefnogir Gweithffyrdd+ gan grant gwerth oddeutu £7.5 miliwn gan Gronfa Gymdeithasol Ewrop trwy Lywodraeth Cymru. Arweinir y prosiect gan Gyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot, ar y cyd â Chyngor Abertawe, Cyngor Sir Gâr, Cyngor Sir Benfro a Chyngor Ceredigion.

I gael gwybod mwy am raglen Gweithffyrdd+, ffoniwch 01639 684250 neu ewch i www.workways.co.uk