I have always enjoyed learning new things and being able to pass this on to others. During my life I have done a lot of tutoring and I've also worked as a nanny. It brings me so much happiness to be helping people and see them enjoying life.
I used to rent a property with my friend and one other tenant. I was struggling to secure a job at the start of 2020 and then the pandemic started. The other tenant decided to move out and I found it difficult to find work. We were so sad to leave that house as we'd had so many happy memories there but we couldn't afford to stay. With no income it became difficult to rent somewhere new as there aren't many landlords who will accept someone on Universal Credit. I ended up staying with friends and the council provided me with temporary accommodation. Both the situation and the way people treated me really affected me and I started to feel depressed.
I have my friends and my GP to thank for helping me through that time. And thankfully now, I have secured a place to live and I'm eager to get back into work. I'm really interested in working in the care sector as I've always wanted to be in more in touch with elderly people. I feel I have a lot to learn from them and their life experience and if I can improve their quality of life that will be really satisfying for me.
Alongside this job I'll be doing some training to become a software developer. This is my plan for the long-term. The tech world is heavily dominated by men and I feel like I haven't had the same opportunity to reach my full potential. I have a degree in Chemistry and am fascinated by how things work. I've been doing free online coding courses but doing this course will enable me to take my skills to the next level. Although I'm anxious about my future, I feel if I can do these things I will be able to build myself a life of financial independence and happiness. I hope I can then use my experience to inspire others to achieve their dreams and especially help other women into developer roles.