George Sparrow is a 30-year-old Service Manager for Carr Gomm in Edinburgh.
Nearly four years on, we caught up with George again to hear about the career progression and immense job satisfaction he’s enjoyed since.
“Not long after we last caught up, the pandemic hit and of course threw everything on its head, no matter what you did for a living. I had not long become a Service Manager and such an unprecedented situation posed all sorts of challenges I hadn’t considered. What was amazing though, was the support from the experienced team around me, which in turn helped me guide my team through such an uncertain time.
“The stacks of training on offer was no doubt a huge help throughout that whole period. There was a whole lot of learning on the job, which I’m sure a lot of people out there resonate with, but also such a breadth of support which was a huge help.
“And then beyond that period, I was able to further develop my skills in leading teams and understanding what makes people tick and hopefully get the best out of them, which is something I’ve really enjoyed.
“I’m also now a member of the Board at Carr Gomm which has been another great opportunity. It’s a voluntary position but really gives me a good insight into the charity’s running and the chance to help shape strategic plans. It’s also a great way to work with people from a range of backgrounds and industries to get their perspective on things and learn from their experience. Taking little things from them has been a big help in my day-to-day role.
“I’m pleased to say that I love my job as much now as I did when I previously spoke to you. No two days are the same and there’s so many ways to continue to push and challenge yourself at a pace that suits you.
“You grow both personally and professionally thanks to colleagues around you and I’m lucky that my employers make me feel so valued and understand that I’m making a difference on a daily basis. I left school with core qualifications and now completed my SVQ4 in Care Services Leadership and Management.
“There’s a misconception of adult social care and what a role within it means. I can only speak from my personal experience and say that if you are resilient and willing to put the hard work in, then you can really reap the benefits of a career that helps you make a real difference to others on a daily basis.”
George’s advice to people looking to apply for an adult social care position:
“When people are curious about my job and considering it for themselves I always say that they should take the time to properly research what the role entails before applying. You do need to have an empathetic and patient nature to enjoy the job but if you do have these characteristics, it’ll be the best thing you do.”
