65 year old Ozer Ismail, from near Waltham Cross, loves his job as a security supervisor.
But it was a different story a few years ago when he endured four years of operations for arthritis in his hands, and couldn’t work. “I didn’t know what career I could go into,” he says. “I was an area manager at a cleaning company, but I found it difficult driving round all day because of the pain in my hands. Before that, I was a carpenter for 25 years; now, I can’t even lift a kettle with my right hand.”
That time out of work took its toll on Ozer. “I felt like a prisoner in my own room,” he says. “I was 64 and I didn’t like the idea of not working and having to claim Universal Credit, so I signed up for a three-month course to get my security industry authority licence”.
“It wasn’t easy but I managed to do it and felt very proud of myself.” Soon after, Ozer got a full-time job as a security guard and was promoted to supervisor after six months. He says: “Jobcentre Plus were absolutely brilliant. They helped me every single step of the way. Work for what you want and you’ll achieve it. Look at me, I’m 65, I’ve started a new career, and I love it.”
Feeling inspired by Ozer’s story?
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