INDEPENDENT homecare provider Connected Health is turning to the hospitality and retail sectors to serve it up 150 new jobs.
The company has launched a recruitment campaign to fill full-time and part-time posts in all health trust areas across the north.
And it says it is particularly targeting former hospitality and retail workers to retrain for management, HR/recruitment, finance and care roles.
Connected Health director Ryan Williams said: “Workers within hospitality and retail are sadly facing considerable strain, which is likely to continue going forward, and as a consequence we want to offer talented, well trained and dynamic individuals the opportunity to retrain and redeploy within the homecare sector.
“Details of the job vacancies and how to apply are posted on our website, and all parts of the process, including interview and training,will be conducted via video conferencing,” he added.
Connected Health has already taken on staff who, prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, were employed in the retail and hospitality sectors
They include Shelley Crooks, from Dundonald, a former employee of the Strangford Arms Hotel and Cafe Nosh on the Comber Road, and student nurse Emma Cardwell from Ahgalee, who previously worker in her local fish and chip shop.
Shelley said: “Becoming a homecare worker is very different to what I was used to, but I'm enjoying the challenge and the job itself is hugely rewarding.”
Emma added: “Restaurant and homecare work obviously have massively different challenges, but there is still cross-over in terms of skills, with both roles requiring plenty of organisation, responsibility, good timekeeping, strong communication ability, a high level of professionalism and teamwork.”
Mr Williams said: “Homecare has performed beyond expectations in terms of restricting the transmission of the Covid-19 virus, despite the fact that millions of visits take place in Northern Ireland each year, including 1.6 million by the Connected Health teams.”
