Staffordshire council placement helps Ukrainian secure job

Anastasiia Pliaka said work experience with Staffordshire County Council had made her feel more confident

A woman who was forced to flee Ukraine after the Russian invasion has said a council work placement helped her secure a full-time job.

Anastasiia Pliaka, 27, arrived in Stafford in June last year as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Ms Pliaka said experience with Staffordshire County Council's legal team has made her feel more confident and improved her English skills.

"This little warm town gave me a chance to believe in myself," she said.

The 27-year-old applied for the placement through the county council's Open Doors programme, which helps job seekers improve their employability.

'Hard work and determination'

Ms Pliaka was a lawyer in her hometown of Kharkiv and worries about her family who still live in Ukraine, however she said she does love her new home.

Philip White, from Staffordshire County Council said, "Anastasiia's story really shows what hard work and determination, combined with the right help can achieve."

More than 900 people from Ukraine have chosen to live in the county as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme, he added.