Pedalling Past Barriers: How Two Bikes Opened the Road to Opportunity

Meet Luke and Mchu—two individuals who turned to Inspira for employability support in overcoming barriers to work.

Luke, a determined 19-year-old from Fleetwood, had been searching for work for over nine months without success. Despite his best efforts applying for roles and attending interviews, he often received no feedback, leaving him discouraged and unsure of his next steps.

That changed in February when Luke met Tony, his Inspira adviser. Their first meeting focused on Luke’s work history and aspirations. Although Luke had experience in fast-food outlets, he was eager to explore new career paths.

Together, they identified Luke’s transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and reliability, and explored how these could be applied to roles in customer service or reception. Luke remained open to gaining experience in different sectors.

Mchu moved to the UK from Germany two years ago. Back home, he worked in the care sector and was passionate about continuing that work in the UK. However, without the necessary UK care qualifications, he found it difficult to secure a role.

Thanks to Tony’s strong local connections, an opportunity arose with the Local Care Company, which had previously supported Inspira customers. Both Luke and Mchu enrolled on one of Inspira’s Care Courses, which included a guaranteed interview, and both were successful. The Local Care Company not only offered them full-time positions but also supported them in gaining health and social care qualifications.