Shropshire jobs fair to host inspirational speaker

A former drug addict and ex-prisoner who turned his life around after meeting Shropshire-based celebrity furniture restorer Jay Blades will give an inspirational talk to job seekers at an event at Shrewsbury’s ex-prison next week.

Steve Wyatt, who has overcome a 22-year addiction to drugs to follow his dream of running his own furniture restoration shop, will attend the Building Shropshire Jobs Fair on Wednesday 20 July 2022, to encourage individuals to follow their dreams and not give up.

The event at Shrewsbury’s ex-Prison will take place from 10am to 3pm and is being hosted by Shropshire-based supported employment and training charity Landau, which works with a range of vulnerable unemployed individuals, including ex-offenders, to get them back into work.

Phil Taylor, chief operations officer for the charity, said: “Steve’s story is quite remarkable, and we think he will provide a lot of inspiration to people who are currently unemployed or at a crossroads in their life and don’t quite know what to do or where to turn.

“His story is a magnificent example of how, no matter how complicated and challenging life might seem, by not giving up hope and seeking the right support you can change direction and turn things around for the better, and we know that this will resonate with many individuals.

“As well as hearing about Steve’s own personal journey to success, those attending the jobs fair will be able to speak to a range of different employers from across the region about current vacancies or seek advice from our own employment advisors on training and job support. We’re here to help as many people as possible transition back into work or find more meaningful and sustainable employment.”

The Building Shropshire project was launched by Landau earlier this year in partnership with Shropshire Council to support employers and jobseekers across the county to build back stronger from the pandemic.

More than 450 vacancies across various job sectors will be showcased at the event by more than 30 different employers, which include Nationwide Building Society, Barclays Bank, Pave Aways Ltd, Wenlock Spring, Grainger and Worrell, JCA Adventure Condover Hall, Culina Logistics and The Wrekin Housing Group to name but a few.