TWO brothers made redundant in their fifties have found new jobs after months of unemployment.

Peter Gentles, 51, had never had a day off sick in almost 20 years working for a concrete manufacturer, and Geoffrey, 56, had worked as a press operator for the same company for more than 15 years.

Now both are working at Tesco’s multi-million pound national distribution centre at Tees Port.

Working Links in Stockton, the employment specialists, works closely with the company and arranged interviews for the brothers, as well as providing support with CV writing, interview technique and travel costs to recruitment sessions.

Chantelle Ventress, from the agency, spends one day a week at the site and has built good relations.

She said: “In April, a number of vacancies arose at the distribution centre and we recognised that Peter and Geoffrey were suitable and did everything we could to support them through their application.”

The £36m centre is the main Tesco hub for non-food products across the UK and covers more than one million square feet.

Of the 514 employees working round-the-clock shifts, 153 were introduced by Working Links.

Annabel Carr, Tesco’s Tees Port personnel manager, said: “We always promote local jobs for local people and our partnership with Working Links is very beneficial.

“They know what the work here entails and ensure that they refer the right people. It speeds up the recruitment process and means we’ve been able to take dozens of local people out of unemployment.”

Before contacting Working Links, Peter Gentle spent six months looking for a job and faced a 70-mile round trip to the only position offered.

He said WorkingLinks had been very helpful.

“They guided me through the process of filling in the application form and the interview. It was the first proper interview I’ve ever had in my life so I was very grateful for the support!”

After just two months, he has been promoted to work as a fork lift truck driver. Tesco has also arranged for the brothers to always work on the same shift so they can car share from Stockton each day.

Working Links has just celebrated helping 150,000 people into work over ten years.

The programme that supported the brothers was funded by the European Social Fund.

Contact Working Links on 0800- 971-9262 or at workinglinks.co.uk.