From career break to new beginnings

A mum to a three-year-old, Yoshitha was made redundant from her role as a data analyst during the pandemic. After being out of work for four years, she faced the challenge of returning to work, especially with the rising costs of childcare. On top of this, she was concerned that her skills might be outdated and struggled with communication due to English not being her first language.

Like many mums, Yoshitha wanted to find a fulfilling career that would allow her to balance work and family life. Her dream was to eventually become a teacher, but she didn’t know where to start. That all changed when she Yoshitha registered for our free Working in Schools webinar she’d seen advertised on Facebook.

The webinar sparked hope for Yoshitha, giving her insights into the varieds available in education and helping her realise that her transferable skills, including those she’d developed as a parent, could be of real value in a school setting. It was the first step in her long-term career plan, but Yoshitha had no previous experience with adult education, so she was unsure about how to move forward.

After attending the Working in Schools webinar, Yoshitha took the next step and enroled in our Working in Schools Programme. While Yoshitha initially aimed to move into teaching, she found a full-time role as a data analyst, which provided her family with financial stability. Though it wasn’t in a school setting as she originally hoped, she was thrilled to secure a job that met her immediate needs. She now plans to revisit her teaching ambitions once her daughter is older, with the ongoing support of Successful Mums.

Yoshitha’s journey wasn’t without its challenges, but with our help, she has made significant progress. The Working in Schools Programme helped Yoshitha build her confidence, refresh her digital skills and gain a deeper understanding of the job market in education. The group activities and mock interviews were particularly beneficial in boosting her self-assurance and she has become more confident in her ability to pursue her career goals, whatever they may be.

One of the key aspects of our support was helping Yoshitha recognise the transferable skills she developed during her career break. As a mum, she had already built strong organisational and communication skills that were highly applicable to both her current and future roles. In addition to this, the IT skills Yoshitha gained during the course gave her a solid foundation for her data analyst job, which has further improved her professional confidence.

Although she’s currently focused on her role as a data analyst, Yoshitha still holds her teaching aspirations close to her heart. The Working in Schools Programme showed her that there are so many pathways to achieving her dream, whether through part-time roles, job shares or retraining while working. She now understands the steps she needs to take to eventually enter the education sector once her family situation allows.

Whether you’re looking to return to work after a career break or transition into a new field, our free Working in Schools webinar is an ideal starting point. Like Yoshitha, you’ll discover how you can build on your existing skills and explore flexible, rewarding careers in education. With expert guidance and a supportive community, we can help you take the next step in your career journey, just as we did for Yoshitha.

Join us today and find out how we can help you achieve your career goals, no matter where you’re starting from! If you’d like to find out more about the Back to Work: Schools & Colleges course click HERE.