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Michael, 62, embarks on a new career that turns out to be more than he had ever imagined

Michael Gilby, 62, from Nottingham, is celebrating a new role in the construction industry after support from Futures on the Restart scheme.  

Michael had been out of work since 2019, after a period supporting his wife to set up a freelance business. Despite an extensive and success career up to Management level, Michael felt his age was a real barrier when applying for work.  

He commented “I'm 62 years old & like many, I rarely (if ever) got a response let alone an interview for any suitable position & after years of unsuccessful job applications I was feeling pretty low. Frankly, I was sceptical when my UC work coach told me that it was compulsory to be enrolled onto the new "Restart" programme, I thought it was going to be a complete waste of time. I was so wrong!”  

A Futures Adviser, Roxanne Copley, worked to understand Michael's barriers, both perceived and real. After multiple one-to-one sessions, it was clear Michael had a huge amount to offer yet lacked in confidence and some IT skills.

With a funded pre-employment programme to brush up on modern technology in the workplace and a better understanding of his skillset, Michael was able to apply to jobs successfully for the first time in years.  

“The support I have received from the team at Futures has been fantastic, I just wish that I'd known about them sooner. My advisor Roxanne Copley has been brilliant, from the first visit she's been enthusiastic, efficient & even laughed at my terrible jokes!”  

Futures supported Michael to secure and prepare for his interview with a Nottingham based construction company who had a well-suited role in Accounts.

Michael was delighted and a year later tells us "it has turned out to be so much more than I had originally hoped.” Michael is a prime example of how with the right knowledge and approach, you can reshape a career at any stage.