The emergence of a vocation – The stories of Isac, Dave and Eleni

Career changes can be daunting, but the outcome is often worth the risk. At Annecto, we want to support people to achieve their goals. Isac, Eleni and Dave are Annecto support workers who have completely changed their career paths to follow their new vocation.  

Isac Israel used to work as a technician in the aviation sector. From a young age, he knew his calling was to work with people, but the opportunity to do so came later, when he decided to leave aviation to pursue a role as a support worker.  

Isac says that the skills he developed in his previous job are still helpful for him now. One of them is the ability to look for new solutions. He also enjoys the creativity that his new job offers. He gets to explore his passion for the arts as he teaches pottery to people with a disability. 

“Sometimes my students surprise me with their creative ideas,” he says, enthusiastically. 

Sometimes a new vocation emerges from an unexpected opportunity.  

A couple of years ago, Eleni Lekkas resigned from her role as Head of Technology Delivery at a bank, to take care of her mother. After her mother passed away, she became a support worker. Despite being told by some that she was overqualified for the position, Eleni explains that she has never felt more fulfilled, and that her skills and dedication have finally found a purpose.  

“I could deliver a $20 million project in my previous work, and the bank would be ‘ok, good job’. But now, I see the pure joy in these women’s faces, and I think, I never got that from my career before. I would not change that… I love what I do, my job now has a purpose.”  

Dave Anner’s story is very similar. After the factory he used to work at closed down, he started working as a gardener. Establishing meaningful connections with his customers motivated him to explore community work and study aged care. Dave now works as a disability and aged care support worker at Annecto.  

“Working as a support worker changed me personally,” Dave says.  

“Now, I live for the day, I am more relaxed and patient. I don’t look too far into the future, I live in the moment.”  

By finding the courage to pursue something new, these support workers transformed their stories and found a new purpose for their abilities.