Originally from Germany, Silvia Jost, had worked in care but moved to Scotland to work in IT in her early 30s. However, she realised her true calling was in care and changed career again to get back into caring. She’s since worked her way up through the ranks and now supports adults who work in care on their own caring journeys through her role at Argyll College.
“In my early 20s, I started working in a care home just to get some experiences and support my studies really. I was studying art therapy and worked to support people with learning difficulties.
“This first sparked my interest in care as a career. However, in 2001, IBM offered me a great relocation package to move to Scotland and work for them. I did this for a couple of years but had the itch to get back into social care. I initially took a role in Ayrshire before building up experience with caring roles in Colonsay and in the North West, where I worked in residential care for people with dementia.
“I then applied for a Team Leader role in Oban which opened doors and I soon became a Night Care Manager at Carr Gomm before becoming a trainer and taking up my current role with Argyll College.
“I just absolutely love the variety of the job. It’s given me so many incredible experiences and I’ve travelled and lived in different places all thanks to my roles in care.
“It’s a privilege to work with people and make such a difference in their lives every day. The job is just so rewarding knowing that you can make someone’s day just by being there for them and having a general chat.
“Don’t get me wrong, like every job, it can be stressful at times, but ultimately, you know you’re going into work every day to make a huge difference to other people. That’s not something many people can say in their jobs.
“I’ve been afforded so many opportunities thanks to adult social care and the training that has helped me develop in my career and my life as a whole.”
Silvia’s advice to people looking to apply for an adult social care position:
“You’ll find where you fit in best and what suits your personality. Care offers loads of opportunities for development. You can become a mentor for other staff as you progress and enjoy the rewards of not only helping the people you care for but also for developing your colleagues. You can progress into a managerial role for a wide spectrum of services or you can continue to improve in your care role and contribute to the delivery of high quality support.”
