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OCS Employer and Ingeus UK

OCS recruits are challenging stereotypes with a career switch

Think ‘security’ roles and a muscular, stoney-faced male may well spring to mind. Well, think again – as did three Ingeus jobseekers who never imagined they’d be starting new security careers in London’s courts.

Luciana, Hilda, and Sami are just three of the successful participants stretching gender and age stereotypes as a direct result of Ingeus’s newly developed partnership with OCS.

OCS provides facilities management services including security, cleaning and catering staff and approached Ingeus to recruit Restart Scheme participants as court and tribunal security officers in London.

Ingeus Employer Account Manager Farwa spent several weeks calling 160 potential applicants to see whether the role would suit them.

She narrowed the search down to 12 people who attended a three-day Routeway Course devised by Ingeus to explain the job in detail.

Seven people were offered roles, four of whom are female.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the building – people were jumping up and down with delight after getting the jobs,” she recalls. “An established company had given them a chance and you couldn’t help but feel the emotion in the room.”

Read a full transcript of this video.

“My three children are so happy. They tell everybody they are proud of me and that I am so brave,” says the 44-year-old, who moved to England from Portugal in 2008. She received support from Ingeus with transport costs, work clothes and food parcels and said she would thoroughly recommend the Restart Scheme.

“I work inside and outside the court building, checking everything is safe. Ingeus has opened my mind to a new career, and I am so happy and confident now.”

Equally, Hilda, 45 and originally from Iran, says Ingeus helped her think differently about her options.

“I hadn’t been able to find work, but Ingeus helped me and recognised my abilities,” she said. “This job is interesting for me as it relates to my law qualifications, so I am very happy.

“I would recommend Ingeus to everyone, they absolutely help and support all people to have a good future.”

Luciana, Hilda and Sami walking down the street

While, Sami, at the age of 62 had almost given up finding employment again after a series of knockbacks over an 18-month period.

Keen for a change of career after 17 years working for a supermarket, he hopes he’s now found his job for life.

“I was out of work for a year-and-a half and applied for a lot of jobs, but it was difficult to get an interview because of my age,” he remembered. “It was affecting my confidence.

“I am really happy with my new court security job. I hope I never have to do a job search ever again, I want to do this job for the rest of my working life.”

Ingeus’s Farwar added: “It can be harder for older people to find employment especially when they have had the same job for a long time. I am very proud of Sami and he is already a big hit in his new job.”

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