A FLINTSHIRE man has proved it is never too late for a career change.

This time last year, life was completely different for Darren Sharpe who was a successful senior figure at a large international plastics company, in an industry he had been climbing his way up over the course of three decades.

Instead of catching early international flights and solving manufacturing crises, Darren now spends his days helping adults with learning disabilities to find employment, which he says gives him brilliant job satisfaction.

Describing his old role as ‘not hard to leave behind’, and inspired by his support worker daughter, he left to work at national learning disabilities charity Hft.

The 53-year-old said: “I haven’t looked back since I became a support worker. I had begun to feel stale in my old role, where the financial rewards came at a cost. This is a completely different world.

“Support work can be more difficult, but it is also more rewarding. I am a real people person and, with the fantastic support of my colleagues, I can use the communication skills from my old career to help others flourish.

“Seeing the people I support achieving independence in their communities and workplaces with huge smiles on their faces is fantastic.”

Darren is not alone in wanting to support people to live the best life possible.

This week, Hft released its latest Sector Pulse Check research, based on an annual survey of learning disability providers carried out by independent consultancy Cebr.

The report reveals that wanting to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable people is the key motivation for social care staff, with 85% of applicants citing it as one of their top three reasons for joining the sector.