Stuart Ferguson StuartJamesFerguson@gmail.com uk.linkedin.com/in/StuartJamesFerguson

Career Change and Transferable Skills After nearly fifteen years in the field of disability support and care, working my way

from volunteer to team management, I have begun considering the notion of career

change. This decision is not an easy one, but it has its reasons.

When supporting a person with a disability, there are a number of challenges to

overcome, both physically and mentally. I specialise in Autism, a condition which is

specified by behavioural issues, and often violent behaviours, these episodes are

regarded as “challenging behaviours”, but after such a length of time in this position

they are no longer challenging, I can recognise minor triggers and mood changes

leading to these behaviours and as a result, the behaviours simply become

mundane and ordinary. I have become comfortable in this line of work, the

challenge has dried up and there is very little chance of professional development

as far as I am aware, I have hit the wall in this field and this is why I am exploring

an alternative path, a path where I can build my skills and focus on my own

development, rather than someone else’s.

It is easy to look at my experiences and regard my skills as too specific to the field

of disability support, but I disagree. Although I have a university degree, which I of

course value and furthered my understanding in disabilities, I feel most of my

knowledge and skills are as a result of my personal experiences. I would argue

long and hard that the most valuable experiences teach the most important skills

and these experiences can only be gained when being in the moment, not sat in a

lecture theatre or classroom where you learn the about outdated theories and mere

predictions about the future.

In my time in support work I have experienced behaviour support, international

cultures, local and national legislations, team work, scheduling, staff

management...the list goes on, and I believe all these skills are transferable. My

entire professional career is client dependent; thinking for those who are incapable

of thinking for themselves, so it my duty to make decisions which are in their best

interest and improve their quality of life. Putting other people before my own benefit

is therefore a part of my personality and that is important to any career. Behaviour

support; Intimidating and irrational behaviours are the norm when working with an

individual who has a Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the only thing to do in

this position is calmly reason with them, helping them understand the positives and

rationality of overcoming whatever is causing them distress. Therefore, working

regularly in demanding and challenging environments where someone who is

incapable of logical thought process needs to be convinced to change their mood is

vital and requires; composure, clear communication, patience and empathy. All

invaluable skills to any successful position.

My most valuable experience in my current profession was my time spent

volunteering in the USA at a disability summer camp, I spent 2 summers here where

I held a number of positions; head counsellor, activity coordinator and programme &

staff supervisor. Admittedly I was only contracted for two of these positions (Head

Counsellor & Staff Supervisor), but due to the poor quality of management and their

unorganised approach, I showed initiative and took on these extra responsibilities

not by choice, but because of the need to ensure the clients were getting the service

they paid for and fellow staff got the experience they were expecting. The extra

duties I undertook here included; fundraising and persuading local companies to

donate their product for charitable reasons, building relations with fellow charities

and client families, planning daily and weekly schedules (from staff rotas to activity

sessions) and programme budget control, to name just a few! and all these duties

were absorbed in to my daily role as heading a team of staff and group of clients

participate in the summer camp programme, this resulted in me working 17 hour

days, managing and multitasking an extremely heavy workload and using my own

initiative to succeed. Despite the lack of management, long working hours and no

pay, this is a job I would do over and over again as i believe I flourished under these

responsibilities.

I don't like to talk to much as I feel my confidence in my own abilities should speak

more than a cover letter, but I believe 90% of the skills I've gained in my current

career field are transferable to almost any other area of employment. I thrive myself

on being organised, responsible, punctual, intelligent and focused, but with the

ability to remain calm, and I wouldn't apply for a position if I wasn't certain of my

professional abilities and personal motivation.

Stuart Ferguson March, 2015