A man from Swansea who lost his job in February 2009 has made a new company of his own after a year of planning.
The South Wales Evening Post reports that Andy Dance was left jobless after 20 years as a window-fitter early last year.
But he has now started his own company - something he had planned to do anyway.
"I decided to set up my own business and decided now was as good a time as any," he tells the newspaper.
"Most of my time last year was spent setting up the business."
The company, Cymru Glazing and Upvc Repairs, specialises in repairing double glazing.
Mr Dance hopes to provide fitting services for conservatories, doors and windows once his business is up and running.
Over the past year, his planning for the firm included a business course that taught him about taxes and marketing.
"Swansea is a good city to launch a business in and there is a lot going on there," he says.
He admits that it can take a long time to start a new company, but adds that there is "light at the end of the tunnel" once the set-up is done.
Derby man Tony Glover, who was made redundant from a job in the gas industry last year, also recently started his own business.
He found it hard to get a new job because he had never had to complete an application form or write a CV before.
But thanks to help from Skills for Jobs, a programme run by Tribal Employability and Skills, he started his own firm instead.
He now works full-time running the company, which installs gas appliances and provides repair services.
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