A full-time dad has branched out into a new career after the incentive to start looking for work literally landed on his doormat.

Mark Stewart, aged 41, from Bartley Green, Birmingham, had been looking after his son for the past four years when a change in circumstances prompted a decision to return to employment.

Unsure how to go about looking for work, a leaflet from employment experts Pertemps People Development Group dropped through his letter box which would ultimately change his life.

Reading how he could get the help needed for a return to the workplace, Mark decided to give it a go and went to his local office in Harborne. Less than three months later he has secured a position as an arboriculturist working across Birmingham.

Following a 10-year career with the RAF Mark's experience as a personal trainer and a certified bailiff had given him the right work ethic, it was simply a case of transferring those skills to doing something new.

Uncertain as to which direction to take, he took career advice, being encouraged to broaden his job search and to keep an open mind.

Armed with a new CV Mark was soon applying for a range of jobs and quickly secured an interview with Birmingham City Council supplier Amey for a position as an arboriculturist, managing trees, hedgerows and shrubs. After passing a five-week training course and a final interview, Mark and one other trainee stood out from the field of 140 applicants and secured the position.

His success in clinching a new job was down to his own hard work and the support he received from PPDG through the Working Neighbourhoods Fund (WNF) - a £115m employment initiative.

The WNF is a partnership between Be Birmingham, Jobcentre Plus and Birmingham City Council which is being delivered across Birmingham by Edgbaston-based PPDG. One of the key features of the project is the strong outreach element which sees employment-based services taken into the heart of communities. Jobseekers can visit one of the city's many PPDG centres or, alternatively, make an appointment for a team member to come out to them and meet at a convenient venue. 

Siamha Butt, employer liaison co-ordinator at PPDG, said that Mark was a changed person and was confident that he would thrive in his new environment whilst coach Keith Webb said Mark was a real role model to others seeking work.

Mark said: "The encouragement I received was superb and I'd recommend the programme to anyone in a similar position to myself. I would never have thought that I'd be entering a new career at this stage of life but I absolutely love it."

Support available for job seekers through WNF includes: confidence-building and motivation courses, CV preparation and interview techniques, training and opportunities to gain new qualifications. Activities are focused across Birmingham and anyone interested in more finding out further information about how the WNF can be of assistance is asked to contact the team on 0121 454 7231.

In partnership with DWP, the Ministry of Justice and Jobcentre Plus, PPDG delivers a diverse range of employment and training initiatives including Flexible New Deal, Working Neighbourhoods Fund, Learndirect and many ESF funded programmes.

More than 100,000 job seekers have been helped into sustained employment by the company since the projects began.  It has trained 130,000 people in vocational skills, and over 175,000 people have benefitted from professional information, advice and guidance services.