Sinead’s story

Careers support helped Sinead take steps towards a new career in healthcare.

Sinead, 30, from Cwmbran, was unsure about her future. She was working part-time as a domiciliary care worker while raising her eight year old son.

Although she enjoyed helping people, the role was physically demanding. She also felt unsure of what to do next.

She said, "I was applying for jobs just to make a change, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do."

Finding direction

A friend suggested that Sinead could return to education and gain new skills. She decided to seek support and booked an appointment with Working Wales the next day. She met with careers adviser, Kris, at the Abergavenny careers centre.

At first, Sinead considered roles like accounting. But after talking things through, she realised it wasn’t the right fit.

She said, "I like numbers, but I’m a people person. I like talking to people and helping them. I wouldn’t get the same satisfaction from something like accounting."

Instead, Kris helped her explore other roles in the healthcare sector that were less physically demanding but still people focused. They looked at options such as occupational therapy, support work and mental health nursing.

Sinead said, "As soon as occupational therapy came up, I thought, that’s what I want to do."

To support her career exploration, Kris provided Sinead with a range of relevant links and resources, including the Careers Wales job information pages for occupational therapist.

Taking action

After the appointment, Sinead carried out her own research. She looked into what qualifications she would need and the different routes into the role. She returned to her next session with Kris with a plan.

With Kris’s support, she decided to apply for an Access to Higher Education course in healthcare at her local college. This will help her progress to university in the future.

Sinead said, "It’s given me something to aim for. I feel like I’m working towards something now."

Sinead has since applied for the course and is preparing for her college interview.

Looking ahead

Sinead now feels more confident and positive about her future.

She said, "I feel very empowered now. I feel more secure in what I’m doing and excited for a change. I haven’t felt like this in a long time."

Sinead added, "If it wasn’t for Kris, I don’t think I would have decided to go back to education. He gave me the confidence and guidance to do something more meaningful."

She encourages others who feel unsure about their future to seek support. "Talk it through with someone. A careers adviser can help you turn your ideas into a plan."

If you’re aged 16 or over and would like to explore your opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact the Working Wales team by calling free on 0800 028 4844, emailing workingwales@careerswales.gov.wales or through our webchat.

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