Aileen Dingwall (pictured with Morna from The People Portfolio) has successfully joined OVO in Glasgow as a Zero Carbon Living Advisor after completing the Revive & Thrive Returner programme.
Aileen’s career has taken a few different paths over the years. She originally had a technical career having studied Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering at Strathclyde University. She worked in this field for about 5 years but had a very long commute so took the opportunity for redundancy when offered it and knowing she wanted to start a family she decided to look at a career in teaching. She became a Classroom Assistant and was in the application stage for a teaching degree when she became pregnant for the first time. Eventually having 4 children it began to make no sense financially for Aileen to keep working as a classroom assistant, so she gave this up and was a full-time mum, as well as doing the books for her husband’s business, for a number of years.
With the family growing up fast in 2018 she decided to return to work, became an additional support needs assistant and studied for her Professional Graduate Diploma in Education, which she successfully achieved. The next step was for Aileen to complete her probation year in a school, a very challenging task with long hours and lots of paperwork. Also dealing with a family bereavement at this time, this was compounded by symptoms of the menopause including fatigue, lack of energy, anxiety and loss of confidence. Aileen took the decision to give up this career path and this decision, whilst not one she regrets, left her feeling useless, doubting her abilities and thinking that she would only be able to achieve a very basic job in future.
Aileen does not use social media but luckily a friend saw a post about Revive & Thrive and sent it to her and she applied the same day! She was immediately grabbed by the fact that:
• menopausal women were being supported
• she would be able to work with a group of likeminded women
• her life skills and experienced would be valued
• she would be supported with rebuilding confidence
• she would learn how to present her transferable skills to a potential employer
• the opportunity to interview with OVO, a Menopause Friendly Employer was guaranteed
• she had the opportunity to get to know the organisation before the interview day
The role being offered by OVO was Zero Carbon Living Adviser which requires great people skills, strong listening skills and the ability to solve problems, all of which Aileen has in spades. Despite some nerves she excelled at the interview.
Aileen said: “ I feel lucky to have taken part in this programme and am very excited about my new career with OVO. I have regained my purpose both in my own career and in helping OVO’s customers to reach their Zero Carbon goals.” Morna Ronnie from The People Portfolio who ran the Revive & Thrive programme said:
“ Aileen was a great participant who really engaged with all of the content, reflecting on her own situation and supporting the other participants. Her warmth and keenness to help other people will be great assets in her new role, and we wish her a long and happy career with OVO”