"I was struggling to get out of bed": Bootcamp transformation of stay-at-home dad who 'felt judged' for not working
18.06.2023 - 08:15
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Five years ago, Mark found himself jobless with a second child on the way. He was anxious – and not just because it would make it harder to pay the bills.
He was worried about what other people would think. Having been made redundant from his role as an apprentice in the manufacturing sector, he and his partner - a chef - agreed that whoever found a job first would take it while the other stayed at home to look after the kids. "And she beat me," he laughs.
Now, the 29-year-old, from Castleton, has started a new career in engineering thanks to a fully-funded five-week skills bootcamp which he found through his local job centre. And with another baby 'in the oven', he could not be happier.
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"When you wake up in the morning and you've not got a job and you're just looking after kids...I was struggling to get the energy to get out of bed. But now I've got a job, I've got stuff to do and I just feel so much better," he said.
"I feel like people aren't judging me. It didn't bother me, but all my neighbours knew me as being a stay at home dad. I don't know what they think of me, but it was in the back of my mind. I feel like other people see me differently now."
With most of his family working in the construction industry, Mark says he was pushed 'very hard' to get a trade after leaving school. He tried his hand at construction over the years, but struggled to find settled work in the sector.
In 2014, he did a course which landed him an apprentice job in manufacturing. But after he was made redundant, he had to 'completely start from scratch'.
When his career gap stretched to five years, Mark feared he'd left it too long to get back into work. So, when