A Cwmbran man has “completely transformed” his work life thanks to personalised career support and the opportunities offered by a Personal Learning Account (PLA).
For years, Lee commuted from Cwmbran to Bristol, a journey that significantly impacted his work-life balance.
He also felt limited by opportunities, explaining:
“I wanted to do a National Examination Board in Occupational Health and Safety (NEBOSH) certification to build on my work development and qualifications. But I was not able to do this with my employer.”
Lee’s turning point came during a visit to the Eisteddfod, where he was encouraged to speak with Careers Wales for guidance.
After reading about PLAs online, Lee contacted Careers Wales and was connected with Julia, his Working Wales careers adviser.
Lee said:
“I couldn’t believe it was free. We talked about how I could use the PLA. Julia was incredibly friendly and supportive. We got my application sorted and sent off straight away.”
Julia also identified a job opening at Monmouthshire Housing Association (MHA) that matched Lee’s interests and aspirations. Encouraged by her support, Lee applied for the position.
Lee successfully secured an interview with MHA, where he was thrilled to learn that the role would allow him to complete his NEBOSH certification during work hours.
After being offered the role, Lee was excited for his next steps.
He said:
“I couldn’t believe I’d been so lucky to have found a new job and be able to do the training I’d been wanting to do for so long.”
Now settled into his new role just ten minutes from home, Lee is enjoying improved work-life balance, a higher salary, and better mental health.
He said:
“I’m so glad I was able to find out how great a PLA can be, and the support from Working Wales too. It’s completely turned things around for me.
“It made all the difference having someone understand what I was looking for, send me an opportunity that was perfect for me and encourage me to go for it.
“There could be others in the same position as me who want to upskill but haven’t considered being able to look at new opportunities to be able to do this.
“I really want to pass on how Working Wales helped me and encourage others to reach out to them and have the same support.”
Working Wales is delivered by Careers Wales and funded by the Welsh Government to provide careers guidance and employability support for those aged 16 and above.
