Alexander from Inspire Children’s Services has shared with us his incredible experience of building his Career at Caretech. We are always so excited to hear of careers being built across the social care sector and hope incredible stories like Alexander’s inspires others to consider care as a career.
I started my journey into childcare in February 2014 working for Caretech as a support worker and completing my Level 3 Diploma in children and young people.
My previous experiences had only revolved around the running of a gym and competing in professional sports. I had very little experience in the care sector but did have 6 months of working in elderly care, which was a very different field of work.
After discussing some jobs options with my wife, she suggested to me that I tried to look into child care and it got me thinking about what a rewarding profession it could be.
The job itself was fun and exciting yet at times challenging, however, I genuinely loved this and found it very rewarding. I could tell I was instantly going to feel passionate about the job. The staff team were very supportive and made me feel welcomed within the home. The training that Caretech provided me with gave me an in-depth understanding of child development and the support that young people with special needs require.
As time passed my skills developed and I felt more confident in my role. I took on the role of a keyworker and offered to attend reviews to further my experience in my job position. I began to feel I was having a real positive contribution to the young people. Gaining a sense of fulfilment within my job role has always been important to me as I never wanted to be in a job where I dreaded getting up in the morning.
After five years of working as a support worker. A senior role presented itself in 2019 and I decided it was the right time for me to challenge my career even more. This opportunity would allow me to bring my passion for my job and share it with the rest of the team, as well as inspire others to want to develop themselves further.
I was thrilled when given the role as this was my opportunity to show everyone what my drive and energy could bring to the team. I continued to enjoy my new role for the next year. Even with my new position, Caretech continued to offer me the opportunity to progress and develop and I started to realise the only limits I had was what I told myself I couldn’t do. During this time I continued to develop my knowledge even further and took a genuine interest in the development of the home and how to improve the quality of young people’s lives. I took it upon myself to learn about anything I didn’t understand and was always asking questions. I also started my Level 5 Diploma which has enabled me to think more about the bigger picture of how a home is run and how it can be even better.
After only a year of working in a senior role, Caretech could see I wanted to progress, and after completing a progression form I was given the chance to interview for a deputy manager role. At this point, I was feeling very confident in myself and my abilities and knowledge, something in the past I could never have imagined even considering. I also saw the interview itself as a great way of getting experience. The transition into a deputy manager role was gradual and I began undertaking managerial tasks and developed my competence in completing them.
If you are considering a career in childcare my advice is don’t just think about it, do it. Working in childcare is one of the most fulfilling and rewarding jobs you can find. There is a lot of opportunity for growth within Caretech if you have the motivation. When I first started in 2014 I never imagined I would have the skills to progress in child care let alone find myself in a Deputy Manager role. I know there is still have a lot more to learn and even more skills to develop. It’s a consistent learning curve, but it goes to show what is possible with the right kind of support and a lot of motivation.
Alexander Fyfe
