The care he received in hospital while waiting for a kidney transplant inspired Stanley man Sean Cain to change careers and he has just celebrated his first year in his new job as a care worker.

Twenty-nine-year-old Sean had previously been working as a supervisor at a chemical plant but had to stop working due to ill health. He had been out of work for 7 years while he was waiting for, and then recovering from, his kidney transplant. It was during that time that Sean gained an insight into what care work involves as he saw the nurses at work. As he spent more and more time in hospital receiving his dialysis treatment, he realised that he enjoyed talking to the other patients, helping to put them at ease.

Sean said:
“It was really rewarding to see that what I was saying was helping the other patients feel a bit less nervous about their treatment and I began to wonder whether I could do something like this as a job. I knew that it would mean a complete career change, but I just didn’t know where to begin.”

When he felt strong enough to return to work, Sean started applying for care worker jobs, with the help of Julie Buckham, the Disability Employment Adviser at Stanley Jobcentre Plus office.  Because he had no formal experience of care work, Julie arranged a two-week Work Trial with Dale Home Care, working as a mobile care assistant.
A Work Trial is a short test period in a real job, and it’s the ideal way to fill a vacancy with minimum risk. During the Trial the employee stays on their normal benefits, so there’s no cost to the employer. The employee gets the chance to show their enthusiasm and skills, and the employer gets time to decide whether the person can do the job and fit in with their company. It’s free, and there’s no obligation on either side.

The Work Trial was a great success and Sean was quickly offered a permanent job, which he started in August 2005. He is glad he made the decision to switch careers, even though the work can be demanding at times. Sean typically makes 12 home visits every day, helping elderly and disabled people live independently in their own homes, but Sean feels that the rewards more than make up for the long hours.

He said:
“I feel like I’m giving something back, the relationships I’ve built up with the people I visit is what makes the job worthwhile. I actually don’t mind getting up in the morning to go to work - not many people can say that!

He continued:
“I felt using the Work Trial was a brilliant way of trying out a job in an area I knew little about. I didn’t lose anything and I gained a new career.”