Conrad picks up award for kick-starting his career in the care sector

Youth worker Conrad Hutchinson, who has turned his life around in the past year, has been recognised at a regional awards ceremony.

Conrad of Paignton, Devon, picked up the Personal Achievement gong at the annual South West European Social Fund (ESF) Awards at the Rougemont Hotel, Exeter.

After two-and-a-half-years out of work, he is back earning again. Conrad popped along to Working Links, which helps long-term unemployed people get back into sustainable employment through the Torbay Plus project.

Conrad told the PRSD: “I had worked at Peugeot for 18 years but was made redundant with 2,000 others a few years ago. I had always had a dream of coming to the south coast when I retired to I decided that was a good time to move my plans forward a bit.

“The problem was that the car industry was all I had known. I left school with no qualifications at all so I wasn’t skilled or experienced enough to find meaningful work.

“But because I had no formal qualifications, I know how hard it is to get by so I’m very passionate about communicating that to young people. I had wanted to get into youth work but I had to start from the bottom – and that’s where Working Links have really helped.”

Conrad overcame his childhood dyslexia and worked his way through a series of courses including health, sport, care, counselling, sign language, first aid, health and safety, food hygiene and much more. He also took part in a range of events aimed at engaging jobseekers with local business, working with Michelin-starred chefs along the way.

Conrad said: “I’m now working as a youth worker for the YMCA and it’s fantastic. It’s great to get paid for something you love doing and being a role model for young people is very rewarding.

While working for the YMCA, Conrad also helps disability sailing charity Sailability on weekends and is also to work with the gay, lesbian, trans-sexual and trans-gender.

To find out more about the help offered by Working Links, visit the website or call freephone on 0800 917 9262.