Niamh Clarke, 20, swapped her job for a role as a trainee child and youth care worker (CYCW) at Kibble, a national charity that provides care services for young people across Scotland.
As the charity embarks on a recruitment drive to find 20 new trainees, Niamh is urging people to consider the career change.
Kibble’s 12-month Career Start programme is open to anyone with a passion for helping young people, regardless of their career history or qualifications.
Those who complete the training will be guaranteed an interview for a £30,000-a-year role with further career development opportunities.
Niamh said: “I always knew I wanted a career that focused on helping people but having studied Social Sciences at college I never thought I had the right qualifications or experience to get into social or healthcare.
“Finding the trainee course was ideal for me, it gave me confidence knowing I would be learning on the job and putting my new skills and knowledge into practice.
“I love that every day is different, the young people are really good to work with and it’s so rewarding when you can see you’re genuinely having a positive impact on their lives.”
Mark Macmillan, director of corporate services at Kibble, said: “Our Career Start training programme provides an accessible pathway for a rewarding career with the full mentoring and support.
“We recruit based on a set of values and provide all necessary training required to fulfil essential carer roles within the charity.”
The programme guarantees candidates an HNC in Social Services and the opportunity to become a CYCW at Kibble.
Applications for this year’s Career Start programme close on November 1.
