Tom’s Story
Job: Host with Working Links, the public/private/voluntary company which helps people find work and delivers enhanced services for young people who are not in employment, education or training.
Tom didn’t have a clear idea of what he wanted to do and decided to take long tour of New Zealand, Fiji and Canada while he thought about it but with the possibility of applying for a University place on his return.
However, his immediate future was taken out of his hands when in April 2007 at the age of only 22, Tom suffered a stroke.
Tom said: “It took me over two years to get back on my feet. In spring 2009 I felt I was ready to get back into work and my disability advisor suggested that I do an IT course at St Loye’s as a way of getting ready for work.
“I took IT CLAIT and CLAIT Plus courses (Computer Literacy and Information Technology). The training was superb and very supportive.
“Post training support was also brilliant – that’s really why I’m in work now. It was St Loye’s who helped me get an interview for a concierge job and Sally Heaman from Working Links was on the interview panel. I still feel very supported.
“I felt comfortable at St Loye’s from the first day, when I went in to look round and ask about the IT course, until the day I left.”
