Simon, age 40, Oxford

Having been out of work since 2009, Simon joined the Work Programme. The provider Maximus approached Abingdon and Witney College, who agreed to provide work experience in their Employer Engagement Unit for 15 hours a week.

Simon soon felt at home within the small team. He excelled at delivering customer service on the reception and providing administrative support in the office. He was given extra support from a mentor, who coached him to develop his IT skills in Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

The college was so impressed with Simon’s performance that they offered him a full-time apprenticeship in Business Administration – a fantastic result for Simon.

The Work Programme is part funded by the European Social Fund.