Daniel Ibukun, who works at the Travelodge in Southwark, South London, came to Britain in 1999 when his family emigrated from Nigeria. After leaving school, he studied biomedical science at the University of Liverpool, but struggled to find a job and signed on for the jobseeker's allowance at his local Jobcentre.

“Biomedical science is a very competitive field and there are not many opportunities,” he says.

After six months out of work, he was put through a two-week skills training course, which helped him to brush up his interview technique and update his CV. He was put forward for an interview with Travelodge and six months ago started as a team member at the 202-room hotel, mostly working on reception. Mr Ibukun says that, rather than regarding the job as menial, he looks at it as “like going back to school”, adding: “I saw it as an opportunity to learn, develop and go higher.”

On completing the management course, he will become an assistant hotel manager within the Travelodge group, but he is not stopping at that level. “I'd love to go on and become a hotel manager,” he says.

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