Ingeus

At 61, Rob had been out of work for more than two years when he joined Ingeus’ Pathways to work programme. When Rob met his Ingeus employment advisor, Kieran, he explained that he had a varied work history that included stints as a caterer, a publican and a theatre manager, and while he was keen to move from benefits into work, he did not have a specific job goal or industry in mind.

Kieran conducted an in-work benefits calculation to show Rob how much better off he would be financially if he returned to work, and together he and Rob worked on identifying some specific goals that he could focus on when searching and applying for jobs.

Rob decided to look for work as a driver or in an administrative field, and Kieran developed an action plan to ensure that Rob received the support and tools he would need to achieve his goal. Rob had created a number of CVs that he was using to apply for work, so Kieran helped him to streamline and simplify these documents so that they focused on the skills and experience required for administrative and driving positions.

Kieran encouraged Rob to conduct research into the qualifications he would need to become a bus driver, and arranged for training and a work-trial through Jobcentre Plus, which helped Rob to feel more confident about his prospects of finding work as a driver. Kieran also encouraged Rob to use Ingeus’ Job Station facilities to find and apply for work.

Rob's efforts soon paid off when he found a position as a driver with a local bus company. To ensure that Rob’s transition from benefits into work was as easy as possible, Kieran assisted him to apply for the in-work benefits to which he was entitled, including Return to Work credits and Council Tax run-on.

Rob says, “The support I received at Ingeus was brilliant, and I am grateful to Kieran and the team for helping me to get my life back on track.”