Electronics worker 'buzzing' at chance of new career

Tauranga man Peter Bulford has been given the chance at a new career after a hard-fought battle to find work.

The 50-year-old had been looking for a job for more than six months and had applied for more than 30 jobs when the Bay of Plenty Times published a story about him in December last year.

He was excited about his new position with A One Switchboard which he started last Wednesday.

Mr Bulford said he had approached the company last year with his CV, then when he saw an apprenticeship advertised with them, he applied.

"After the 90-day trial I will hopefully have an apprenticeship out of it and then knock it out within a couple of years.

"I really thought I was going to be flipping burgers for the rest of my life. This job came up in the right industry at the right time so it's marvellous."

Not having a job for so long "knocked" him around. "Especially when you start getting older you start to think you're old, useless and unwanted. It was a buzz, I got a phone call Christmas Eve ... then it was finalised last Monday."

Mr Bulford said he was excited about building a career instead of just a job.
"This is going to send me through into retirement age," he said.