A man who spent years behind bars but has recently secured his first job in more than a decade says he's been given positive feedback from an employer for the first time in his life after finally being given a chance.
Community leader Dave Letele of Buttabean Motivation (BBM) founded an employment agency, BBM Recruitment, this year.
"It's very tough to get people into work," Letele said. "There's just not much opportunities out there at the moment."
Bradley Fielding, 41, hadn't been in a job for about 15 years before BBM Recruitment helped him.
Now, he works for Gen2 car detailers in Manukau, cleaning vehicles for Trust Motors.
The bank is warning the Government's proposed tax cuts in next week's Budget may add to inflation. (Source: 1News)
"It feels amazing," he told 1News. "I'm just over the moon.
"I've always wanted a job, but never really thought that I'd ever get there because of my past.
"I'm just really blessed to be fully employed now."
His last job was in sheet metal engineering – but then he "went off the rails".
"I was using [drugs] while I was working, and it just didn't work out," Fielding said.
"I've had a lot of time in prison, I've dealt with drug addiction – and after my last sentence of four years, it kind of gave me the length of time to, like, reflect on my life and to want something better for myself."
He also wanted to be a "clean, present" father for his four children.
'Not much opportunities out there'
"The need on our services is immense," Letele said. "This is the worst that I've ever seen it."
He said he had hundreds of people on his books, but it was tough getting them into work.
"There's just not much opportunities out there at the moment, the whole nation's doing it tough. If companies are doing it tough there is no work out there."
Recent employment data for the March quarter showed an increase in the unemployment rate, from 4% in December to 4.3%. Job ads data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment had showed demand for staff had "absolutely crashed", economist Shamubeel Eaqub told RNZ.
Letele said the recruitment arm was the missing piece for BBM, which also ran a food bank and helped people with health and fitness.
From 'underwater' to 'brand new'
Fielding said he was sitting at home, scrolling on his phone when he came across BBM Recruitment.
His partner encouraged him to "send an email and see where it leads".
"Within a week, they had me in here and into a job," Fielding said. "It's just a dream come true, just love it."
Fielding said he can see a future for himself in the business.
"We'll get, like, dirty as cars and we'll bring them back to showroom shine and then send them back to the client," he explained.
"I enjoy anything to do with cars, I've got a real passion when it comes to cars.
"They come in looking like they've been underwater and then we take them back to the people, and they're just like brand new again."
'I've never had any good feedback from an employer. Ever'
Fielding said he's excited to go to work every day.
"I've even heard from the bosses, if I keep up the good work, that potentially I could be a team leader.
"So that's really good to hear, I've never had any good feedback from an employer. Ever," he said.
After getting out of prison, Fielding got in touch with Work and Income – but said employers "didn't want anything to do with [him]" once they found out about his criminal past.
"They just told me they couldn't help me – and then here Dave is, willing to give anybody a chance.
"I'm just really grateful."
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