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Matt's just the job ; Shop worker completes job-a-week challenge [Herald, The (Plymouth, England)]
[December 28, 2013]

Matt's just the job ; Shop worker completes job-a-week challenge [Herald, The (Plymouth, England)]


(Herald, The (Plymouth, England) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) A SHOP worker who took on a different job every week has completed his year-long challenge. Dedicated Matt Frost, 30, tried 52 jobs throughout 2013 in a bid to find his dream role.



During the year he worked as a headteacher, journalist, MP, builder, farmer, stuntman, pizza delivery boy and waiter. He also spent a week as a gardener, university lecturer, graphic designer, estate agent and policeman.

Matt also tried his hand as a blacksmith, a film director, pub landlord, framer, locksmith, advertiser, radio DJ and IT worker.


He began his mammoth challenge working as a photographer at the beginning of January and finished his final week yesterday as a council spokesperson. Determined Matt, who has worked in retail since he was 19, made the lifechanging decision after he was forced to take time off following an accident at work. During two months of recuperation Matt realised he wanted to change his career and wrote to hundreds of companies asking for a week's work.

Matt, of Liskeard, in South East Cornwall, set up 52 jobs and did all them a week at a time and was paid a wage for all of them - but gave all the money to charity.

He has now finished his year long mission and is taking a week off - when he will decide which career path to follow full time.

He said: "I'm more tired than I've ever been before in my life but I've had the most amazing experience and I've met some incredible people.

"I turned 30 this year, and the accident gave me a window to think about trying out a range of different jobs. "I set up four weeks at the start and went from there. I got a couple of offers here and there but most of the jobs came from me searching them out.

"When I was working in retail I enjoyed the job but the injury woke me up to the fact that maybe the job wasn't really what I wanted to be doing with my life." Matt was working in an electronics store in 2012 when a box of metal brackets fell on his head while he was at his desk. He was told by doctors he would need two months off work and dedicated the time to researching the challenge. Matt then quit that job and during 2013 set about working 52 jobs, one at a time, to see which one he liked best.

He decided to donate all earnings to charity and has raised around Pounds 10,000 for The Prince's Trust, which helps disadvantaged young people find employment. He said: "I felt this was a fitting charity as they help young people into work. I also spent a week there quite early on which was a hugely rewarding experience." Matt spent a lot of his free time setting up placements and making arrangements for travel and accommodation. The jobs have taken him all over the country - but there were a few occasions when his work plans fell through and he was close to starting a Monday with no job.

He said: "The closest I came to securing a job was about 3pm on a Sunday but it mostly all came together nicely.

"I tried to live as cheaply as possible.

I'm a little bit in debt, but I've been helped out a lot by people who've made me packed lunches or let me crash on their sofas." Matt said one of the most inspirational and rewarding jobs was at a Plymouth school.

He spent a week working as a special needs assistant at Woodlands School for children with physical and sensory difficulties, which is based in Whitleigh. Matt said: "It was a very demanding job but by the end of the week I didn't want to leave.

"I was amazed by the pure positivity of the school - it was amazing to see all these adults giving everything they could to get the children as be as independent as possible." Matt said the job he found the most challenging was his week spent working as a waiter at Le Bistro Pierre in the Royal William Yard. He said: "I was really shocked at how difficult it was. I have so much respect for people that work in catering as it's really challenging.

"I cut myself many times and during my last ten minutes in the job I managed to pour a glass of wine into a lady's handbag." He said he enjoyed the jobs where he was given responsibility right from the word go.

Matt was offered several jobs throughout his year and plans to spend the next week relaxing before taking the next move.

He said: "I'm going to have a week off then it's time for me to grow up and join the real world.

"It's been the most phenomenal but toughest experience of my life." 1) Photographer - Rob Frost Photography, Liskeard 2) PR Assistant - Onshore Media, Plymouth 3) Crowdfunding Producer - Peoplefund.it, Newquay 4) Beef Farmer - Lower Dalton Farm, St Neot 5) Journalist - The Sunday Times, London 6) Film Stuntman - stunts4reel, London 7) Fundraising Executive - The Prince''s Trust, London 8) Campaign Manager - UK Together, Newquay 9) Copywriter - Exchange Holiday Homes, Draynes 10) Blacksmith - Kevin Gerry Gates and Railings, Longdowns 11) Special Needs Teaching Assistant - Woodlands Special Needs School, Plymouth 12) Pizza Delivery Boy - Papa John's, Camden, London 13) Marketing Executive - Monster.co.uk, London 14) Waiter - Le Bistro Pierre, Plymouth 15) Picture Framer - Studio 4 Framing, Liskeard 16) Outdoor Instructor - Adrenalin Quarry, Menheniot 17) Gardener/Farmhand - River Cottage, Axminster 18) Film Director - Community Film Unit, Ashford, Surrey 19) University Lecturer - Plymouth University, Plymouth 20) Graphic Designer - Rilke, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire 21) Pub Landlord - The Barley Sheaf, Liskeard 22) Curator - The Science Museum, London 23) Account Executive - Flint PR, London 24) Festival Planner - Vision Nine, London 25) Aquarium Executive - National Marine Aquarium, Plymouth 26) Lighting Technician - Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross 27) Surf Instructor - Wavehunters, Polzeath 28) Horticulturist/Press Photographer - Eden Project, Bodelva 29) IT Technician - Infinite Computer Solutions 30) Film Journalist - Empire Magazine, London 31) Radio Presenter - BBC Radio Cornwall, Truro 32) Production Runner - Boardmasters Surf Festival, Newquay, Cornwall 33) Estate Agent - Early''s Property Lettings, Liskeard 34) Advertising Creative - McCann, Birmingham, West Midlands 35) Production Co-ordinator - Topps, Milton Keynes 36) Employment Adviser - Job Centre Plus, Liskeard 37) Locksmith - Southwest Locksmiths, St Cleer 38) Personal Assistant - Phillip Schofield, London 39) Media Relations Executive - Eurogamer Expo, Earl's Court, London 40) Policeman - Devon and Cornwall Police, Plymouth 41) Builder - D & G General Builders, Liskeard 42) Video Producer - Mind Candy, Shoreditch, London 43) Groundsman/Statistician - Aston Villa FC, Birmingham 44) Zombie Zone Controller - 2.8 Hours Later, London 45) Headteacher - St Cleer Primary School, St Cleer 46) Video Game Developer - Lionhead Studios, Guildford, Surrey 47) Social Media Coordinator - Cornish Tea Company Ltd, Looe 48) Athlete Liason - Freeze Festival, Clapham, London 49) Librarian - London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vauxhall, London 50) MP in training - Parliament, Offices of Tom Watson, Westminster, London 51) Presenter - Explosive Alan Productions, Borough, London 52) Spokesperson - Glow Cornwall (c) 2013 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved.

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