Steve Thorpe - BRIDGES

Steve is 57 and had been unemployed for 18 months when he joined the BBO project. He had done several voluntary roles during this time but wanted to return to paid employment. Steve had plenty of experience as a warehouse driver, but some of his qualifications had expired.

As a partner in the Bridges project, Age UK Walsall supported Steve to work towards gaining some new qualifications; he has completed a CSCS revision course and is ready to take the next step towards applying for a CSCS card.

One of the barriers Steve faced was access to the internet. Steve was a member of the library but had never used their computers, and was not confident online. Age UK Walsall helped Steve updated his CV, register with a variety of recruitment websites and begin applying for jobs online.

In January 2017 Steve applied for a job online and attached his CV independently. “That was the first time I’ve attached my CV to an email myself, I’m really pleased.”

Steve’s confidence has improved since working with Bridges. With his increased IT skills and up to date qualifications, Steve hopes to return to paid employment in the near future.