Cooking on gas – thanks to learndirect!
Posted on July 3rd, 2008
Unemployed factory worker Dean Hall has launched a new career in catering – and won an award as well, thanks to learndirect!
Forty year old Dean, from West Street, Leicester, won the Progression Award at the East Midlands learndirect Achievement Awards and now goes on to the national finals in London.
Dean was an unemployed factory worker when he spotted vacancies for construction workers at his local job centre. He went to Business Advice Direct’s Leicester learndirect centre to gain a qualification for the industry – but realised he was not cut out for construction work.
Instead he decided to take every course he could and went on to achieve literacy, numeracy, food hygiene and computer qualifications which have landed him a job as a catering assistant at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
He said: ’I have always been interested in catering but didn’t know if I could get into it, because I had always worked in factories before. I realised I had to change my thinking about what I want to do and having the Food Hygiene Certificate definitely helped me get the job at the hospital - and I am very pleased. When I realised the construction industry was not for me I decided to take every course available to cover all my bases really and it has proved to be a good idea!’
Tutor Monika Mitoraj, who nominated Dean for the award, said: ‘‘We are thrilled that Dean, after all his hard work, has found a job that he will enjoy. He has been determined to train for a new career and took advantage of all the help available to him and it has resulted in a great personal success for him.’
