Vanessa
“The team at ECL have the highest standards and are the best at what they do because they truly enjoy their work. People who have what it takes to be a carer should be proud. I know I am”.
After 20 years in the print industry, and with her children heading off to college and university, Vanessa decided the time had come to do something for her. Having long harboured an interest in all things medical, she realised that jobs in the healthcare industry which she had previously ruled out were now a very real possibility – but where to start?
A friend and former colleague suggested she would be great in a caring role and, having just started working as a Community Care Assistant with ECL herself, pointed Vanessa towards its careers page. “My friend told me that she’d found a brilliant job that she thought I’d be perfect for, so I bit the bullet and decided to apply,” says Vanessa. “The application process was straightforward, and it gave me a really good sense of ECL. Straight away I got the feeling that this was a professional place to work, but there was also a lovely, supportive family feel which was nice”.
On being offered the job, Vanessa was given induction training and made aware that the opportunity to upskill further would always be available to those that wanted it. “ECL promote progression from within if that’s what you aspire to,” says Vanessa. “Personally, I want to learn everything I can in my role as a Community Care Assistant, so I take all the training courses as they become available and I'm due to start my NVQ in Health and Social Care soon, all supported by ECL. While I’m open to exploring new roles within the company in the future, for now I’m just really loving my job!”
Without her friend’s encouragement, Vanessa admits that she wouldn’t previously have considered pursuing a career in person-centred care - “I think there are a lot of misconceptions out there about working in care but from my own first-hand experience, I can safely say that the team at ECL have the highest standards and are the best at what they do because they truly enjoy their work. Being a Community Care Assistant opens your eyes to other people’s struggles and knowing that you make a difference is so rewarding,” says Vanessa. “People who have what it takes to be a carer should be proud. I know I am.”