Laura Griffiths has turned redundancy into an opportunity to train for a new career which will see her travelling the world on luxury yachts.... thanks to a recession-busting initiative from the Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund.

Aiming to combat some of the effects of the economic downturn, the Government announced £100M funding in October 2008 to finance training for workers affected by redundancy, £50M each from ESF and Train to Gain. This Response to Redundancy programme offers support, advice and training courses to individuals to help them get new jobs or prepare for new careers.

Laura, a former worker at the Vestas wind turbine blades factory on the Isle of Wight, ended up without a job when the Danish firm closed its plant on the island. But she had a dream. She wanted to work in hospitality on board a seagoing yacht, similar to those she saw every summer sailing into the harbour at Cowes. Laura was one of the first to get involved with the outplacement sessions run by VT Careers Enterprise Ltd and started to work towards the paperwork she needed to realise her ambitions.

Qualifications in Health and Safety and Food Hygiene, her Personal Licence Holders Certificate and improved IT skills were achieved even before she left Vestas, then she completed the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) Essential Marine Hospitality ten day course, a further seven day course on practical skills for a steward at 5 star luxury level and a six day course on Marine Cookery. Laura found help from Response to Redundancy in meeting the costs of these courses was invaluable.