Kieron battles back to realise his dream

FIT for work . . . Kieron Goddard is now working as a gym instructor thanks to a Lifetime Academy apprenticeship

‘Academy helped get my foot on career ladder’
A FORMER Oldham soldier has not only managed to bring his life back from the brink, he has become a beacon of inspiration to a job-despondent generation.

After leaving the Army, Kieron Goddard’s troubled youth came back to haunt him and six long years of unemployment was having a devastating affect on the young father-of-two.

With plummeting self-confidence and plagued by thoughts he was letting his family down, Kieron (24) says he feared he’d never be able to get his life on track.

But the opportunity of an increasingly-popular apprenticeship was the start of a whole new future.

Through the Lifetime Fitness Academy, Kieron, of Lower Lime Road, Limeside, now has a job as a gym instructor and is on his way to completing his personal training qualification.

In fact he excelled in his training to such an extent he was shortlisted for a national Lifetime award by the local training provider.

“I’d always had a love for sport and fitness but never had the opportunities to pursue my dream of making a career out of it,” said Kieron.

“The academy programme allowed me to get my foot on the career ladder and break the cycle that was ruining my life.”

“It has given me my independence and confidence back, it has ignited a desire to learn and continue learning to better myself and provide a brighter future for my family and has helped to bring me close to my family again”

Kieron now has big plans and is aiming to reach management level.

National Apprenticeship Week (February 6-10) is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals and businesses.

A recent study by Lifetime reveals 55 per cent of employers feel candidates who have learned on the job are more effective than graduates.

Lifetime says young people increasingly need to explore other routes into employment.

Nigel Wallace, development director at Lifetime, said: “Apprenticeships help you to gain industry-recognised qualifications and hands-on experience, qualities that employers are telling us they want from young people these days.”



To find out more call 0870-120 1207 or visit www.lifetimetraining.co.uk.

For more information on the upcoming National Apprenticeship Week go to apprenticeships.org.uk.