A Bradford University project is successfully helping men aged over 45 get back to work.

The Grey Panther project is supported by the European Social Fund and aims to help men between the ages of 45 and 65 who have been jobless for more than six months.

The first wave of graduates have now qualified at the University's School of Lifelong Education and Development.

Among them was 62-year-old Alfred Booth, of Sunnyside Lane in Undercliffe. He was struggling to get a job and had almost given up hope.

Alfred said: "I could get interviews no problem, but I couldn't get beyond that. They'd look at me, see how old I was, and that was it."

Alfred had worked for General Electric as an administrator for 26 years and then worked for Daniel Illingworths & sons in Girlington for 14 years before he suffered a stroke in April 2002. After recovering he found it hard to get back to work.

He said: "I had explored everything that I could and I even went on courses to improve my IT skills and gained certificates in CLAIT and ECDL.

"I seemed to be very good at selling myself on paper which is why I was able to get interviews but when I got to the interview stage for one reason or another I wouldn't get the job."

Through the Grey Panther Project each person is given the opportunity to study a vocationally relevant course to improve their employment prospects. Through the project Alfred was put in touch with Alison Widdup, managing director of Arete Business Services, based at the Carlisle Business Centre, who gave him a job as an administrator straight away.

She said: "We're an ethical call centre. Our business philosophy is to treat everyone with respect, trust and honesty, because we believe that our business is about people, and that applies to our employment practices too.

I'm aware that age discrimination is rife, but not with us. Alfred has a fantastic work ethic and is a valuable member of the team. I'd recommend all employers to consider the Grey Panther projects as a resource for skilled men with the wisdom and sense age brings."

Ten men completed the first course which is being run by both Bradford and Leeds universities. The course works by encouraging mutual support between the men in the group, while going through a programme of looking at CVs, interview skills, voluntary and self employment options, and how to ensure they get the right balance of work, home life and leisure.

The Bradford group also completed an action plan as part of a university module called Mapping Your Future, which provides credits towards the Foundation Certificate in Combined Studies, for those who wish to continue studying.

Dave Boardman, Grey Panthers course leader, said: "We want guys to reactivate themselves and plan for the next phase of their lives.

"People's needs and desires can be quite different from when they started their working lives.

"This is a chance to realistically re-assess what they want from life and create a plan of action to see if they can achieve it."

  • The next Grey Panthers course in Bradford starts on Thursday, September 28, and the staff are currently looking for new members to join the scheme. An open day is also being held today between 1pm and 4pm in the Cobden Building on Campus Road, near the University of Bradford. Grey Panther project manager Anne Weston can be contacted on (01274) 233211 or e-mail learning@bradford.ac.uk