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Silverstone man takes to the streets in search for a job
A man who has been out of work for more than a year is taking to the streets in his search for a job.
Chris Walsh has been driving to industrial estates in the area and standing out in the cold with a sign simply reading: “I need a job please”.
This week, he has been to Buckingham Industrial Estate, Brackley’s Buckingham Road Industrial Estate and various estates in Daventry, Northants.
Mr Walsh said: “I’ve just decided it’s got to be more constructive than sitting at home applying online, when you don’t even get to speak to anybody and you don’t get a response.”
Mr Walsh, from Silverstone, was made redundant in August 2010 from his job as a handyman/maintenance engineer for facilities management company MITIE.
After six months being unemployed, he took stock.
He said: “I realised I’ve got a lot of experience of different jobs but I’ve got no qualifications.”
He then spent six months and £5,000 of his savings training to be a qualified gas engineer.
He emerged in October 2011 with a BPEC Accredited Certication Scheme (ACS) certificate, but then found he still couldn’t get a job.
He said: “I’ve got the qualification but I haven’t got any experience. It’ a Catch 22.”
So, taking an idea he’d seen on the internet, Mr Walsh decided on a new approach to put himself in front of people.
He said: “It’s the luck of the draw. If they happen to have something suitable, it saves them having to advertise.
“It makes you feel like you’ve actually done something. Sitting in front of the computer all day applying for jobs is tiring.”
And he added: “I got a fantastic response in Brackley on Monday, it really put a smile on my face. It was freezing cold and this guy came and brought me a cup of coffee.
“Another guy came out and offered to circulate my CV.
“It gives you faith in human nature again.
“It’s nice to know people will go out of their way to help you, even if there’s nothing in it for them.”
Contact Mr Walsh at c.walsh125@btinternet.com
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Weather for Buckingham
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
