Yay! and as an ex-recruiter, easy solution to the Giant Gaping Hole Resume Problem: "consulting."
EVERYBODY does it. Find a couple friends, all the better if he's ever, say, helped them with their computers, who are willing to say he's done work for them and use them as references, which will never be checked anyway. Since he's hardware it's even easier, since you don't need like a portfolio or anything, and TONS of hardware people pick up freelance work full or part-time.