My role as a carer is much more than a job ... it’s my calling
him excel and he worked his way up the ranks to a role in CADCAM digital dentistry.
“It came to a point in 2016 when, as much as I loved the job and was good at it, it was not fulfilling me,” said Craig, 30.
“I started looking about. I wanted something different, but along the same lines as what I was good at.
“I took a job in a jewellery workshop and ended up finishing and polishing diamond rings.
“It sounds strange, but there are similarities with dental technology. I was good at the job and enjoyed it.
“But after three years, I felt something was missing. I was doing the same thing every day.
“It was repetitive and I was feeling the urge to try something else, to branch out and explore new options on my career path.
“That’s when I started to think about what other skills I have and what I like to do.”
With a mum who has been in home care all her working life, Craig took pleasure in looking after his gran, taking her shopping and doing odd jobs around the house.
A friend and former dentistry colleague had moved into a support worker role and was enthusing about it.
On researching a career in care, he found that many firms and organisations sought to fill vacancies with candidates who have experience in the care sector.
But t he advertisement placed on a jobs board by Sense Scotland was different. The charity promised training and on-the-job learning.
“When I looked at their website, the first thing I was drawn to was the stories of families and people who are supported by Sense,” explained Craig.
“I was completely drawn into what Sense Scotland do and the standard of care they provide. That got me really interested.
“They were l ooking for someone with natural abilities they can bring to the job.”
Craig was offered the role in December 2017 and took up his post the following February.
Following an induction, he began training and observation, as well as “shadow shifts”.
“When you start any new job, it can be overwhelming,” he said.
“But from day one, I thought, ‘This is different. This could be what I am looking for’.
“The training gave me massive confidence. It made me feel comfortable, like I was ready for this. It’s so much more than being a support worker in a care position. It’s supporting people to be their best. It is all about them.”
Even during his interview, the woman who would become his manager recognised something in Craig’s bubbly personality that struck a chord.
She believed him to be the perfect fit for a man who was supported by Sense Scotland.
Craig and the man were introduced early on, and he still provides full-time support to him to this day.
Craig works 14-and-a-half hour shifts and also sleeps over at the man’s home in case he needs to get up in the night.
“I am asleep, but I’m alert,” he explained.
“You get to know the noises and sounds and you wake up automatically. I suppose it’s like a parent who’s sleeping, but still listening out for their child.”
When the pair met, the man Craig supports was receiving care in the community during the day, returning home to his family in the evening.
Craig was there for him every step of the way when he was able to make the transition to independent living in his own home.
“It was amazing and rewarding to see that,” he said.
At the heart of the many things Craig does for the