WM’s career transition after nearly 3 decades

WM joined Thrive into Work in November 2024. On first meeting WM said she had worked for nearly 29 years as a main chef at a popular restaurant in Stratford Upon Avon. WM enjoyed her previous role but had to leave as she was struggling with stress and anxiety. She was looking for a similar role but within a smaller restaurant and different environment. WM said she was happy with sharing her health information with employer as it was very important for her to work in a supportive environment and would also want her employer to be understanding or have knowledge of how to support employees with mental health conditions.

We provided 1:1 support on a weekly basis, WM was always punctual and committed to the programme. WM was clear about her career goals from the start and was also open to other jobs other than working as a chef. We worked together to create a positive health statement so employers can understand WM’s health condition and a vocational profile that had her barriers, career aspirations and previous experience in more detail.

We worked with WM to create a CV from scratch, as she had not had one in 29 years. We completed job searching and applications in line with her career goal on a weekly basis, as a result WM secured a Chef management role at a local café in Stratford Upon Avon. WM commenced work in April 2025. WM is happy with her employer and is receiving all the support that she needs at work and continues to receive in-work support, attends her face-to-face meeting once a fortnight.