Marlena Derda celebrates 5 years at Archers Park Care Home!

Marlena Derda, Home Manager at Archers Park, recently celebrated her 5 year anniversary in our Sunderland care home. We spoke to Marlena about her journey from factory worker to Home Manager, and why she loves her career in care.

“I’m originally from Poland, but moved to the UK over 10 years ago and started work in a food factory. I used this time to decide what I wanted to do with my UK career; I knew I wanted to help people, and supporting the elderly was something I was very passionate about, but I’d studied banking in Poland so was unsure whether I could pursue a career in care. I eventually applied for the role of carer in the night team within a different care home group, and was offered the role. It was a great opportunity to get my foot in the care sector, so I accepted!

I quickly progressed to senior carer in the night team, and managed to complete my NVQ Level 2 and 3 whilst working night shifts. I’m a big believer in skill development, so took advantage of other training and leadership courses before eventually moving to the day team. I enjoyed working in both the night team and day team, as I got to work with some great people, learn new skills and gain experience in a sector I wanted to continue my career in.”

Marlena’s ambitious personality means she’s always looking for ways to challenge herself and develop her career in care, and eventually made the decision to join the Orchard Care Homes team. “After a while, I decided to take the next step in my career and look for management roles. I self-funded my NVQ Level 5 in Leadership Management before applying for the role of Deputy Manager at Archers Park Care Home, which I was extremely happy to be offered in January 2019. I’ve now been here for 5 years, and absolutely love what I do!”

Now Home Manager for Archers Park Care Home in Sunderland, Marlena continues to utilise further education to enhance her senior leadership and managerial skills. “I’m currently looking to enrol on an NVQ Level 5 in Business Operation. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and think it will be really beneficial for my career development.”

Marlena also encourages her team to develop their own skills, which is one of her favourite aspects of her role. “I like all aspects of my job as Home Manager; but mostly I enjoy being able to support our people, families and team. It’s great to see colleagues progress in a career they love – our Deputy Manager came to Archers Park as a Senior Carer, and completed her NVQ Level 3 to become a Deputy. She’s the perfect example of how utilising training can help enhance your career journey.”

For anyone looking to start a career in care, Marlena’s advice is to always challenge yourself. “Stay focused on your career aspirations, and be open to new opportunities. A career in care can be challenging, but knowing you’re making a difference to people in care makes the trials and tribulations worthwhile.”

We love Marlena’s outlook on self-improvement and career development. Over the past 5 years, we’ve seen Marlena’s dedication to exceptional care have a brilliantly positive impact on both residents and colleagues at Archers Park.

Thank you to Marlena for a wonderful 5 years’ service – here’s to many more!  If you’re interested in a career in care, why not check out latest roles and see how you can make a difference to people living in one of our 23 care homes across the UK?

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