Case studies
From Caring to Learning…… to Work!
'Returning to work after years spent caring is challenging. Employers often feel you've lost touch with fast moving professional developments and imagine the most intellectually challenging experience you've had has been matching the socks after washing!.
So returning to work is paved with difficulties. It's not just how to deal with the jaundiced views of prospective employers it's perhaps the more fundamental question of 'what do I want to do?' The period away from work gives you an opportunity to re-think your career choice and consider options.
I started off thinking I would return to my former career and Learning and Work was very supportive with job seeking advice. But after a while I realised this wasn't the right path and further conversations with Learning and Work raised the idea of the PTTLS (Preparing to Teach in The Life Lifelong Learning Sector) qualification. The course was a breath of fresh air and gave me some much needed confidence. I was still unsure if I really wanted to teach business studies but I did feel the education sector ticked all the right boxes.
So it was back to the career drawing board. After much research I discovered School Business Management and a qualification at the National College for School Leadership. Then, in one of those quite extraordinary coincidences, and without knowing I had applied for the course, Learning and Work rang to say they'd seen a job advertised for a School Business Manager and it appeared to be a good match for my skill set. It was one of those eureka moments when everything comes together. I'm now delighted to be on the course and I can sense it's changing my life in a very positive way. Returning to work is challenging and Learning and Work was there to support me and help me think creatively about career options.
How volunteering helped land me a job
Many need to be written in first person as case study above
ACS Trustee Sandra Pinole shares news of her success in finding a part time job, which she believes would not have been possible without the help of ACS and Learning and Work.
She says: “It's particularly meaningful to me as I have not worked for 14 years because I gave up work to care for my son”.
Sandra’s new job is to provide administration support for the careers advisor in a secondary school. She works 10 hours a week for 40 weeks a year, which fits in well with her caring responsibilities.
Sandra says her voluntary role with ACS as a trustee, carer ambassador and carer facilitator for Because Carers Count training proved invaluable in helping her to complete the application form.
”The outside training courses I attended thanks to Learning and Work looked good when I listed them on the application form, she explains, “They didn't question my role as carer or the fact that my most current work experience was as a volunteer and accepted a reference from ACS along with another one from my parish priest.”
Sandra was delighted to be selected for interview and once again found her ACS experience came up trumps.
“The interview started with a 15 min computer test on Excel, which I could do thanks to the Learn Direct computer course Learning and Work paid and arranged for me. My experience of being part of the ACS interview panel several times gave me the tips I needed to face my two interviewers with confidence!”
Sandra, who will continue as a Trustee with ACS adds:
“I'm proof that voluntary work really does count and being out of paid employment for so long doesn't mean you can't get back in, even in middle age. I'm starting at the bottom but as long as it fits in with the caring, there will be opportunities to work my way up.”