Robert Cooper

Case Study – Robert Cooper

Robert re-engaged with Invest in Renfrewshire in February 2022. Robert was working as a volunteer at a Glasgow soup kitchen which he enjoyed but was financially unsuitable, so the aim was to find an opportunity for him to stay in kitchen work but pick up a salary for doing so.

Robert’s adviser Scott quickly determined that he would be eligible for Renfrewshire Council’s Funded Work Programme – a 6-month opportunity for work returners to gain training and employment – and helped Robert upgrade his CV to be able to apply for one which was a suitable match. Before applying we were able to ascertain that Robert would be better off in work in liaison with Tricia from Adviceworks.

Wendy in our job broker team conducted a pre-screen with Robert and was delighted with his attitude and suitability for the role. Robert subsequently attended interview with the employer and secured the placement during which Robert completed various training courses whilst working and earning.

Upon ending his 6-month placement Robert engaged with Kim and Jane from Invest who assisted him in the next step, finding full time paid employment. With their support Robert quickly gained 2 interviews and a job offer. Robert has now started in a permanent role as a kitchen assistant at The Kibble and we will be assisting Robert with his initial travel costs making the transition to employment that bit easier.

Robert said “I enjoyed helping people at the soup kitchen but felt I needed to look for an opportunity for paid work. I met with Scott at Invest who gave me some pointers and helped me create a good CV. Scott told me about a 6-month paid placement with the Tannahill Centre which was a good match for my skills, and Wendy was able to secure me an interview with the employer. After interview I was delighted to be offered the placement.

Once there I enjoyed the kitchen prep and serving customers, and aside from the day-today tasks they also put me through several training courses including Food Hygiene, Allergy Awareness and Manual Handling. When the placement was over, I spent time with Kim & Jane who assisted me in applying for permanent roles. I recently started as Kitchen Assistant with The Kibble and it’s great, it doesn’t feel like work. I am very grateful to everyone at Invest who helped me along in my journey and would recommend them to anyone needing a bit of extra help”