Katie

“When I left school at 16, I wasn’t quite sure what direction I wanted to go in” says Katie. “I was completing my NVQ Level 2 in health and social care and fell into a domiciliary position with an agency but, while I felt an instant connection to caring, I knew that particular role just wasn’t for me. Luckily, my assessor at the time found me an apprenticeship at ECL Marylands and I haven’t looked back.”

After completing her placement year, Katie felt at home with ECL having got to know the company, staff and customers. Keen to stay put, she applied for a Community Care Assistant position and was delighted when she was told she’d got the job. “When I joined ECL I knew I wanted to stay. I found the work really rewarding – supporting people with additional needs, but also supporting their families and loved ones when they were struggling with their own caring responsibilities. I was so pleased to be able to keep doing what I love,” she says.

The additional training and experience she accrued during her time as a CCA gave Katie the confidence to seek out new opportunities to further her career with the company. Noticing a vacancy for a Team Leader role back with ECL Marylands full-time, she didn’t hesitate. Katie says, “Management have always been so supportive of my ambition to progress and the ladies doing my interview put me completely at ease. I usually hate interviews, but I knew I had the knowledge and skills to do well. Still, I was relieved when they gave me the news that I had been successful!”

Katie’s passion and professionalism certainly made an impact. Before too long, she was approached by the senior team about a new opportunity which will see her play a key part in motivating and empowering her own team to deliver the very best care to adults with additional needs. “I love being back at Marylands,” says Katie, “but I also want to push myself out of my comfort zone and keep working my way ‘up the career ladder’. When I was asked if I’d be interested in the Service Manager role at our Maldon Day Service, I jumped at the chance – I can’t wait to get started”.

She went on to say, “It’s so encouraging to know that all of my hard work up to this point hasn’t gone unnoticed. ECL is a brilliant company to work for. If you’re looking for career progression, you’ll find so many opportunities open to you and all the help you need to succeed.”