Case Study

Amirun learns new lessons in life

5 Mar. 2026

“I’m nearly 60, who’s going to hire me?” 
Starting her working life late in life was a new and surprising experience for Amirun. 
As her nervousness and fear of the unknown was replaced with a host of work-based qualifications, her attitude changed distinctly. Two part time jobs and a new lease of life later, she’s back to share her story with other Ingeus jobseekers at the Oldham Restart Centre:

“I tell them I had few qualifications, no work experience, and no confidence. I’d been a housewife for 40 years but then I wanted to work. I realised I had potential and I never gave up,” says Amirun, mum to five now-adult children. 

Age 59, her dream came true – twice.
 
“I could never have stood in front of a room full of people and shared my story before. Now I work in two schools, have my own income and my own car. My confidence has grown, I go out more, have lost weight, and am much happier.”

Amirun admits to being nervous when she joined the Restart Scheme in Greater Manchester for help to find work in the summer of 2025. Her Restart Advisor, Sharon, soon put her at ease. Amirun describes Sharon as ‘warm, supportive and easy to talk to’, encouraging her to attend group sessions to build her confidence, and providing a laptop for Amirun to complete an online health and social care course.

“Once I did the first course, I wasn’t afraid to try more,” adds Amirun, who has a past teaching assistant qualification and went on to complete food hygiene, customer service, literacy, and interpreting qualifications in a bid to keep her work options as open as possible.

“I applied for jobs for months with no luck. Sharon just encouraged me to keep going. I took my new CV into a local school and was offered a trial as a lunch supervisor.”

Amirun’s first job was soon confirmed and added to with a further playground supervisor position at the school across the road. 

“I literally walk from one job to the other each day. My hours fit around my home life and with eight grandchildren I’m very used to the noise and fast pace,” laughs Amirun. “With pre-diabetes and high cholesterol it’s been great to get more active and lose some weight. I take better care of myself – my family has even noticed. I have a few years left now before my pension and want to make the most of them. I’m still seeing Sharon – who knows what my next step will be?”