Reeja Renchi is 34, an experienced healthcare professional, and one of five new arrivals pursuing care jobs in the UK through Agincare International.
Reeja is vivacious, energetic and friendly. She hails from Thiruvalla, India, is the mother of two beautiful daughters, and is married to a priest of the Indian Orthodox Church. We are humbled and delighted to welcome her into our growing team.
Before Reeja went off to her placement, we caught up with her to learn more about her journey to the UK.
Motivation and heart
Reeja has worked hard to build up her career. Having obtained a degree in Nursing, a postgraduate degree in Counseling Psychology, an MBA in HR + Customer Relations, and is earning a LLB from Bangalore University. Between all of this, Reeja occasionally works as a motivational speaker at anywhere from colleges to churches. Ambition, people skills and care are no strangers to Reeja, for whom it all began as a nurse.
Reeja’s first role was in a hospital Intensive Care Unit, where life-changing and life-saving decisions are made every day. The intensity of that environment was well worth it, she knew. Everyday, Reeja is dedicated to making others’ lives better.
As is the nature of the ICU, Reeja found there was little chance to get to know any of her patients. As much as she was passionate about healing people, once discharged, Reeja would never see them again. Reeja hadn’t realised how much she missed making long-standing connections with those she treated, until one day in particular.
Switching to care
During her year as a nurse, Reeja met one patient who had arrived with his live-in care assistant. “The way she looked after him, the way she gave care; that struck me,” Reeja says.
When Reeja discharged this patient, she spoke with him. He thanked her, and added that the support his care assistant consistently gave him, in his eyes, is what saved his life on a day-to-day basis.
According to this patient, his care assistant looked after him as if he were her own father. Reeja saw it confirmed by the patient’s family, who considered her to truly be a member.
That was the same day I decided to move from the hospital industry to the care industry.
– Reeja
Reeja changed sectors, going from her work as a nurse to a career as an Operations Executive. From there, Reeja’s ambition, work ethic and skill saw her promoted to an Operations Senior Executive, and ultimately to the position of an Operations Manager.
This is a journey that started in 2011. Now, over a decade later, her path has led her to look for care jobs in the UK, and ultimately to joining the Agincare family.
“Years ago, many of my friends came here, but I was busy at the time – my career was starting in India,” says Reeja. The decision to move was a decade in the making, and not taken lightly. It has meant a significant, however temporary, sacrifice. Leaving her daughters and husband at home in India, Reeja has made this journey alone – but they will join her soon.
Agincare International
With much consideration, Reeja made that leap. After careful research of various care jobs in the UK, she found a kindred ambition within Agincare. “Before coming to the UK, I did my research. Agincare seemed to want the best for their staff. They called them ‘awesome’ in videos I saw, and they wanted the company itself to be awesome.”
With the help of Agincare International, global recruitment is becoming easier. Dan Steadman, Lead Director, and Joju Thomas, Operations Director, have been working alongside recruitment to hand-pick the right people for the right roles.
With their efforts, we’re able to facilitate the immigration of outstanding people like Reeja; people we are lucky to have.
Speaking about her experience in joining our first cohort of people from India, Reeja says:
The dignity they’ve shown me is amazing, from the airport to today. It’s all been amazing. I always think that a recruiter shows you the face of a company, and Joju and his team have shown us that. They’ve been pampering us like their own children! I have just been going through an amazing experience.
Care jobs in the UK
Now, Reeja has completed Agincare’s initial training and has begun her newest chapter as a senior care worker in a care home. In the future, Reeja intends to qualify for nursing in the UK. This will be a chance for her to progress her career once more and become internationally recognised for her skill.
For now, Reeja’s family are at home in India, but they plan to change that when the time is right. As for her career with human connection at its heart, Reeja is looking forward to rolling up her sleeves. When asked about care, she said; “It is a chance to use our brains, use our experience, our skills and our hearts.”