A career in care proved just the job for Jonathan after redundancy spurred him on to take a new direction.
Every day now offers something different for the 43-year-old from Redcar who is working as a personal assistant with BJP Home Support.
Having previously helped care for his mum who lost her battle with cancer in 2016, Jonathan said: “I had thought about working in care but with a job and a wage coming in I wasn’t prepared to take the risk.”
So, when redundancy struck two years later, the former security manager took it as an opportunity to embark on something new.
Signing up to the Redcar & Cleveland Care Academy, the short course gave Jonathan the skills and the contacts to get started.
What’s more by the end of the course, which comes with a guaranteed job interview, he had two job offers.
“I felt a bit uncomfortable about going to college at first,” he said. “I thought I was going to be surrounded by people half my age.”
In reality he found the college community was made up of people of all ages and quickly settled in.
“It was really good and a real eye opener. We learnt what the job involves on a daily basis and what carers actually do.”
For Jonathan, the course quickly dispelled any misconceptions he had about working in care.
“It is the sort of job you soon know if you are going to enjoy it,” he said. “I love every minute.”
He said: “It is not just the practical side of the job, it is the social aspect too. You build a rapport with the clients and I enjoy that as well.”
For some, the visit from one of the BJP team, might be the only person they see that day. Jonathan said you are making a real difference to someone’s life.
Offering an insight into the demands of a career in care, the Redcar & Cleveland Care Academy is a training programme delivered by Redcar and Cleveland College in partnership with Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, Job Centre Plus, Beyond Housing and local care companies.
Its aim is to help tackle a skills shortage in the sector by giving people the knowledge and skills to start work in the care industry.
The free six-week course covers sector-specific areas such as adult social care, emergency first aid at work and understanding safeguarding, as well as more general life skills including CV writing, career planning and interview techniques.
Jonathan said: “It wasn’t just the care side that helped me, it was also showing me how to do my CV properly and interview tips, these are things I hadn’t done for a number of years.”
Delighted to come away with two job offers, he said: “I would definitely recommend the Academy. If you want to get into this line of work it is a real insight into what the job entails and what you need to be successful.”
To find out more about the Redcar & Cleveland Care Academy call Shirley Diddams on 01642 865561, email employability@stockton.ac.uk or speak to your Jobcentre Plus advisor.
