REDUNDANCY came as a huge blow to Peter Conner.

He had worked all his life and hoped to find employment quickly after losing his job in textiles.

So he could not believe it when he was told at his local job centre that he would have to wait six months on the dole before he could get any help from Government schemes.

Then he heard about the Quest Centre's Adult Compact scheme, funded by City Challenge and Bolton/Bury TEC - and was back in a job within weeks.

"I was being told that no-one could help me until I had been unemployed for 26 weeks," said Peter, who now works for Sanderson Carpets in the Tonge Valley after 10 weeks without a job.

"I heard about the Compact scheme at the job centre and put my name forward - I was in a job after a couple of weeks. It was so good to find someone who would help and I absolutely love my work here."

Compact works by matching up unemployed people with job vacancies according to their skills. Anyone can join by registering at the Quest Centre.

Brenda McNamee, who runs Compact, said: "We have seen some wonderful success with Compact. People who have been out of work from weeks, months or years have been finding jobs after just a few weeks on our books."

As well as finding vacancies for people, Brenda helps the jobless prepare for their interview and visits them regularly once they are in work.

She also establishes a good rapport with employers, gaining their confidence and encouraging them to come to her for new recruits.

And John Marshall, stock controller and quality assurance manager at Sanderson's, has no complaints about Compact.

"When you are taking people on you normally have to sift through hundreds of applications, find out which people have really got the skills you are looking for, and then start interviewing," he said.

"But I was very impressed with the Quest Centre. They did all the vetting for us and we have been delighted with Peter's work.

"With any future vacancies we will deal with them through the Quest Centre and the Adult Compact Programme." Bright future for other job hunters A BRIGHT future with good training prospects has been the result of registering with Compact for 23-year-old Paul Ferendous, who now works for Iffits Leather at the Riverside complex in the Tonge Valley.

As well as being trained to clean leather and suede goods, he is aiming for an NVQ course in sewing leather - and has just passed his driving test, meaning he can now collect and deliver goods.

"It feels great to be back in work. This is the best job I've ever had - it doesn't even seem like work because I enjoy it so much," said Paul, who had been placed in a job vacancy just one week after registering with Compact after being unemployed for about four years.

Good training prospects also attracted Maura Brady, 31, to the Compact Scheme.

She has worked at Coleman's Confectioners in Chorley Old Road for 15 months and is working through a Technology Resource project at the Quest Centre as well as a Level Two NVQ Customer Service course at Bolton College.

And there are more satisfied customers at London West End Fashions, in Raglan Street, where three women were trained in machine sewing.

Rukaya Patel, who was unemployed for 14 months, Bibi Adam, unemployed 20 months, and Rahima Patel, unemployed one year, underwent an intensive training programme.

They are now qualified sewing machinists, manufacturing anoraks for a well-known high street store.

They say Adult Compact has allowed them to train while receiving a salary, and helped to improve their English.

Irene Denton, supervisor at London West End Fashions, said: "Compact allows us to take on unskilled workers and train them to our high standards.

"Without the wage, we could not afford to train them to our standards and there are no other outlets where we can get trained people from."

For more information about Compact or any of the Quest Centre's other schemes, phone 01204 396668.

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