New year, new you, new career? How to make your dream a reality

It may feel like a big step, but these women who did it haven’t looked back since, writes, Gwen Loughman

Jackie Dillon and Leigh Cummins sisters Jackie Dillon and Leigh Cummins, Covid played a part in the creation of their soap business, OPA!

The days of having a job for life are very firmly in the past. According to The University of Queensland, the average person, during their 45-year working life span, can see anything from 3 to 7 career changes. Reasons for job switches can be varied; better opportunities elsewhere, increased pay grade, redundancy, improving work-life balance, even boredom.

For Cork sisters Jackie Dillon and Leigh Cummins, Covid played a part in the creation of their soap business, OPA! ( www.opafoamingsoap.ie) Both fly as cabin crew with Aer Lingus and during lockdown, an innocent conversation about their annual trip to the States and the gifts they used to bring home, particularly a foaming soap, sparked an idea. Jackie expands on how they also realised they may have hit on a way to make the downturn work in their favour.