Engineering a care career

Engineer Mick Brown has ditched his work in heavy industry – for a lighter touch as a carer for the elderly.

He is one of thousands of trained workers in the West Midlands forced by the recession to look elsewhere to earn a living.

Mr Brown spent almost 30 years working in traditional workshops, including more than two decades at one of the region's largest engineering companies.

But his life changed after 22 years working as a press operator and in the prototype department at the former GKN Thompson Chassis plant in Millfields Road, when the 49-year-old was made redundant in 2003.

He spent the next few years doing different engineering roles which he says he was not enjoying.

And now, after his engineering work dried up with the economic downturn, he has a bright outlook after retraining as a care worker. Mr Brown spends his days assisting people in their own homes, working for Agincare UK Ltd based in Bilston.

He hit upon the idea last year because he had seen the a lot about the care industry in the media. After asking about a career move at the job centre he was sent on a four-week training course at the City of Wolverhampton College.

From there he started part time work at The Elms Residential Home in Bilston and about three months ago started working full time for Agincare which mainly help elderly people. Mr Brown, who lives with his wife Tracey and children Stefanie, 17 and Mitchell, 15, in Garden Walk, Bilston said today: "My job is brilliant, I have great support from colleagues. It is very fulfilling and I enjoy meeting the people and they appreciate you.

"In engineering factories are closing and there are lots of people like me having to reinvent their careers. I used to come home from work stinking of the factory. It is basically a different world for me." He also said that one of the biggest changes was that when he worked in engineering he was alongside all men but now it is almost all female.

Justine Pickford, is director of operations for Agincare, which opened it Bilston base off Church Street in March this year. She said: "Right the way through the recession we have been recruiting and we pride ourselves on giving an opportunity to people."

She added that what was important was that people had an aptitude for helping people and that there was help through things such as buddy schemes.