A wide  range of job opportunities exist in the care sector with many previously unemployed people finding rewarding career opportunities in this field of work.

 

Southend company Home Instead is one of many care organisations which is recruiting in the area, drawing on people with a wide range of backgrounds to supply its workforce.

 

As its name suggests, Home Instead specialises in supporting clients who continue to live in their own homes across the Southend area and beyond, rather than moving to institutional care.

 

Two previously unemployed people who now have fast developing careers with Home Instead are Becky Ruler and Danielle Andrews.

 

Lone parent Becky, 32, from Shoebury, describes her job as being “like a breath of fresh air”, after two years of unemployment.

 

Her job seeking was hampered by personal issues, which left Becky with depression.

 

She says: “I just couldn’t find work and my self-confidence had hit rock bottom.”

 

Things began to look up when she attended workshops run by Southend recruitment organisation Igneus, which specialises in retraining people to give them the right skills and qualities to take up opportunities in the workplace.

 

Becky says: “The trainers were very supportive and the workshops on confidence building and motivation were very helpful.

 

“It turned my life around, and after so long out of work. I have now been able to find regular work in a worthwhile job which I thoroughly enjoy.

 

“I feel independent and once again proud of what I have achieved and proud to know I can achieve more.”

 

After just three months of working for Home Instead, she has been promoted.

 

Like Becky, Danielle, 24, also from Shoebury, struggled to find work for 18 months, despite being a university graduate.

 

She has just celebrated her first anniversary as an administrator at Home Instead and now takes responsibility for the key task of scheduling all client visits.

 

Home Instead’s care manager Lee Connolly has expressed delight at the quality of his recent recruits.

 

He said: “We have a stringent recruitment process to ensure we find caring, dependable people to train up for our team. Becky and Danielle have proved they possess exactly the qualities we look for.”

 

Niven Ramalingum, Home Instead’s director, said: “Becky and Danielle are outstanding people. They are already taking advantage of our training programme, and have the potential for long, successful and happy careers with us.”