Tailored guidance opened doors for Ian to go back to work, doing something he really enjoys.
Going back to work
Ian had taken a break from work for 11 years to be a carer for his father and brother.
When he was ready to re-enter the workforce, he first got in touch with PRIME Cymru. They recommended him to Careers Wales to help him look where to start.
He was given an appointment with Working Wales careers adviser, Lindsey Roberts, at the Swansea careers centre.
Initially, they looked at Ian’s experience before he stopped working and how his years of caring had given him transferable skills.
A pathway to teaching
Lindsey helped Ian to look at roles he could naturally transition into. They identified that his skills aligned strongly with work in education and support roles.
She then connected him with agencies that could help him get started in this area.
Lindsey also encouraged Ian to recognise the level of skills he already had, helping him regain confidence in his ability to start something new.
“I wanted to research how to get into teaching assistant work, and I joined a company called Prospero, through which I did all my DBS checks and was ready to start placements.” Ian shared.
Building skills and growing in confidence
With his adviser’s encouragement and continued guidance, Ian stepped into a variety of education settings.
“Since July of last year, I’ve worked in multiple schools all over south west Wales and Carmarthen.” he said.
“In that time, I’ve also progressed to cover supervision. As a level 2 teaching assistant, you can do cover supervision when needed, although there’s still a teacher overseeing it.”
Ian has since transitioned into a local council role where he supports young people who are not currently in mainstream education. He finds this work very rewarding.
Looking ahead with pride
What began as a daunting transition has become a positive new chapter, thanks to the guidance, reassurance and signposting he received.
“Lindsey was ace. It wasn’t just careers advice, it was a chance to talk. For me it was also about getting stuff off your chest.
“I only had to ask ‘This is what I want to do, how do I get there?’ And then Lindsey was instrumental in helping me do that.”
With support behind him and a growing passion for education, Ian is now looking forward with renewed confidence, purpose and enthusiasm for the future.
If you would like to explore your interests and opportunities with a careers adviser, please contact us today.
