I joined the Home Office in Sheffield following a major recruitment campaign in 2003. By that time, my youngest child was 8 years old and after holding part time roles in pubs, bookmakers and schools I thought the opportunity sounded interesting. I joined Immigration Enforcement in 2013.
Within Returns Preparation in Immigration Enforcement, my role is as a caseworker. The day-to-day work is really varied as no two cases are ever the same. Looking into individual cases, collating all the information and making the correct decision is really rewarding. I really enjoy being able to make a difference to people’s lives.
I am also a Mental Health First Aider, Diversity Coordinator and a practitioner for Sustaining Resilience at Work (StRaW) which aims to detect and prevent occupational mental health issues. All of these roles mean so much to me, and I have always been supported at work myself. I have also created support groups for veterans and their families and most recently the Menopause, where we are currently working hard to attain accreditation for Immigration Enforcement as a Menopause-friendly employer.
There are so many varied roles, and there is a lot of flexibility in working patterns. I currently work term time only, which helped so much when my parents became ill, as they were looking after my youngest child when I was at work.
I admit that I am biased, but I think Immigration Enforcement is fantastic. In fact, I wish I had joined much earlier in my life! Everyone is included and you don’t have to have loads of qualifications to join – you’ll find that life skills, empathy and compassion go a long way.
If you were considering a career in Immigration Enforcement, I’d say take the chance to make the difference to the organisation, others and yourself – it’s amazing how much you can you develop!
