A 38-year-old West Hull man, who has been progressively losing his sight since the age of 21, is determined his disability will not get in the way of work. And to prove it, Darren Burton has been back to college to learn computer skills from scratch and has just been appointed a call handler at a local call handling centre - and all within two years!
With the support of Remploy, the UK's leading provider of specialist employment services for people with disabilities and health conditions, in partnership with Working LInks, which offers a range of services for unemployed people, Darren has just notched up another success - he's been rewarded with a job that he's thoroughly enjoying. He's now working for Kendlebell in North Ferriby, which provides a personalised telephone answering service for around 350 businesses in the region.
His appointment is the latest in a number of personal rewards for Darren - he was also named Hull College's 'Student of the Year' for his achievements and his determination to learn.
Previously working in the catering industry, Darren's hereditary sight loss began to affect his everyday life almost 20 years ago and was the reason he had to resign from his previous job in 2007.
"Facing an uncertain future, I decided it was time to learn how to switch a computer on - that's why I signed up for a course at Hull College's Sight Centre. This unlocked my options and, with the support of Remploy and others, I was offered a job interview at Kendlebell. I was appointed soon afterwards, and being back in work has really turned my life around."
Darren now answers telephone calls on behalf of Kendlebell's customers and inputs data into the company's computer system. By using specialist equipment Darren has quickly proved he's equally able to do the job alongside his sighted colleagues.
"As soon as we met Darren, we wanted to support him," said Kendlebell's managing director Nicola Pettit. "His positive attitude and long list of achievements meant he was right for the job. He's dedicated, hard working, committed and a great team player - in fact, everything we could hope for in a colleague."
Remploy's Oliver Smith, who supported Darren into employment from the company's branch on Albion Street in Hull, said: "We really value local companies such as Kendlebell. By working with them, and by developing candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions, we can match the two together. Everybody wins - our candidates are able to get back on track through sustainable employment, and employers benefit from motivated job-ready people who are willing to go the extra mile. Darren's a perfect illustration of this."
People who experience complex barriers to employment are invited to contact Remploy in Hull by calling 0300 456 8033.