Following a change in career, I joined the care sector to make a difference and in search for better job satisfaction. I’m proud to have worked for Hafod for over seven years and I haven’t looked back.

I have been encouraged to learn and grow. It’s not just the compulsory training courses, there are additional courses for people to go on to develop specific skills and become champions in certain fields.

I’ve been fortunate to work with excellent nurses, senior care assistants and managers who have all guided me and given me the confidence to progress. My first role was as a night carer and then I started working day shifts which I found a lot better for me as I have a young family. I was then promoted to a senior carer and now I’m a nursing care assistant.

I’ve particularly benefitted from being part of Hafod’s new Nursing Care Assistant programme which is delivered in partnership with the University of South Wales and Aneurin Bevan Health Board. The programme aims to give nursing care assistants the opportunity to develop new skills which allow them to support their nurse colleagues more closely. This has created a new career pathway for care staff, including myself, where other development opportunities may not have been possible previously.

Joining the care sector was not at all what I expected. It was a steep learning curve but I’m glad I challenged myself to try. My typical day varies but my priority is to look after our residents as well as administering medication and arranging doctor’s appointments.

Our goal is to make lives better and try to make a little difference to everybody’s day. This can be through interaction, telling them a story or just reminiscing with them.

The job satisfaction and enjoyment I get is unbelievable. Just being able to be around people who’ve lived such fruitful and amazing lives and just making that little bit of a difference is what makes it for me.

I’ve really enjoyed it since I came into the care sector. It’s about being a person who can be there to make a difference to somebody. If my story encourages more people into this amazing sector and experience the career pathway that I have, then that would be the icing on the cake!

Matthew is a Nursing Care Assistant at Hafod