Over the past year it seems that no company is safe – be they a mighty global corporation or a one-man show in Lupset. Like a plague, the credit crunch has taken its victims with impunity, uncaring of its victim’s solid reputation, proud heritage or number of employees.
And, just like stricken businesses around the world, many companies in Wakefield have shared the same fate. Starved of capital, they have been forced to drastically slash employee numbers in a last-ditch attempt to survive the onslaught.
Eight months ago, Susan Ementon was a reliable and trusted senior worker at a well-known catalogue store in the area. She enjoyed her job and the banter with colleagues. She had mates and was part of a team.
Most importantly her job meant she paid the bills.
However, just a month later, Susan suddenly became unemployed and joined the growing number of unemployed people in the area seeking work.
“I didn’t know what to do,” recalls 54 year old Susan. “You got a job one day and none the next. I’ve worked all my life and then to have this happen was a nightmare.
“Me being me, straight away I set out to get a job. But it didn’t happen. It was like banging your head against the wall.
“In six months I made 26 job applications, and went for six job interviews. None of it amounted to anything. It was an awful time of my life.”
Susan explains how the frustration at being without a job for so long ate away at her self-esteem.
“I was very down. I used to wake up in the middle of the night thinking, ‘Why can’t I get a job?’ Then, in the morning, it was the first thing I’d think of - ‘Why can’t I get a job?’”
Her relentless – and fruitless – search for employment came to its turning point when she saw a story in the Wakefield Express in November.
“I was reading the Express and I saw a story about Louise Thompson from Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) holding back-to-work sessions in Eastmoor.
“In the article Louise said that anyone, any age, from any background could come into the WDH Service Access Point on Stanley Street and take the first steps back into regular pay-cheques.
“I was desperate so I thought I’d give it a go.”
Susan went to see Louise, a WDH Community Employment Advisor, for a one-to-one chat.
“Louise said she could help me get back to work – and that’s what she did.
“She recommended that I come down to Breakthrough to Work Group at St Swithun’s Community Centre to brush up on my skills with the computer, search on internet for work, get my CV sorted and get some tips on finding work.”
Fast forward to January 2010 and a recently employed Susan returns to St Swithun’s during her lunch hour to discuss her journey – and to lend a hand with job-seekers.
She’s helping Dave and Steve who are asking how she did it.
“It started the day I had my one-to-one with Louise,” she tells them. “It was brilliant. Louise said she could help – and she did!
“We did lots of role-play sessions and looked on the web for jobs. Then there was the time we did some practice interview sessions. She and Mick Clarke from Wakefield Council’s Breakthrough to Work project pretended to be the interview panel. It was tough, but really helped me when it came to the interview where I got my new job!
“She went through my CV and made it sell me more. She said I had a lot of experience that employers would love.”
She says Louise’s encouragement also made a big difference.
“She texted me and texted me! She texted me nearly every day with jobs that she thought I’d be suitable for.”
Dave hears this and nods his head. He is 21 and says he keeps getting woken up at 9.30am every morning by texts from Louise about jobs she’s found for him.
“It’s the same every day,” says Dave, a former barman from Eastmoor. “She wakes me up with a text saying she’s found a job at such-and-such with so-and so.
“If you want a job, you have to be out of bed before then,” laughs Susan. ”Jobs don’t come to you; you have to be up and ready to go!”
Steven, 53, a labourer, agrees.
“I’ve been out of work for 12 months after being made redundant from a job I had for 25 years. I still wake up early to get on with it.
“Susan has been looking at jobs for us and telling us about it. She hasn’t forgotten us.”
Louise herself overhears this and wanders over.
“We all help each other here,” says Louise. “Susan has been great and I’m so glad she got a job. I always knew she would. She had lots of experience and needed to sell herself better.
“She stays in touch and lets the others know if she sees a job for them.”
Susan looks at her watch and stands.
“Speaking of which, I have to get back to work!”
Susan offers a few more words of encouragement and shakes hands before exiting St Swithun’s.
Louise watches her go.
“People like Susan make my job easier.”