Carol makes a refreshing change

Carol makes a refreshing change

A Warwickshire woman has seen her three-year unemployment ordeal end after securing her ideal job at the historic Royal Pump Rooms in Leamington Spa.

Carol Jones achieved her goal of clinching a new job thanks to support from employment and training experts Pertemps People Development Group (PPDG) based in the Old Library at Bath Place.

Carol, from Harbury, participated on the Flexible New Deal welfare to work initiative aimed at helping thousands of people get back into work across Warwickshire.

And after years of dedicated searching she is now a familiar face in the tea rooms after securing her ideal job with Redcliffe Catering. Carol, aged 40, works part-time and is enjoying every minute of her new lease of life.

Carol has previous experience of serving all kinds of refreshments for Welcome Break. However, living in a rural location, she was forced her to leave after local transport links were severed.

“Then Jobcentre Plus put me in touch with PPDG,” she said. “Both they and Redcliffe have been so supportive, and after applying for numerous positions, this was exactly the break I needed. I absolutely love the job, the people I work with and the customers, everything makes coming to work a real pleasure, even getting there and back is so much easier.”

Justine Lovell, employment coach at PPDG’s office in Leamington Spa, added: “Carol was so determined to get back into work and during a Redcliffe Catering recruitment event she was offered a work trial. Enjoying it so much, she even stayed on to help for an additional 40 minutes so we were all thrilled when she got the job.”

Redcliffe CEO Clive Stone said: “Carol is a particularly valued member of the team and demonstrates our commitment to providing employment opportunity for job seekers in Leamington.  A significant number of our local employees have already gained promotion and continue to grow within our organisation”.

The Royal Pump Rooms, opened in 1814, is a major venue in the town for weddings, banquets and conferences all catered for by Redcliffe Catering.

PPDG’s team of employment experts work in partnership to deliver a diverse range of employment and training initiatives and many ESF funded programmes. More than 1,000 residents from Leamington Spa and its surrounds have already benefitted from PPDG’s services in the town.