PERSEVERANCE paid off for a disabled woman who has finally found her dream job after a relentless search which involved 50 applications every week.

Zoe Quick, 22, of Canterbury Close, Rayleigh , applied for dozens of positions, but was knocked back by employers, forcing her to rely on jobseeker’s allowance.

However, Zoe, who was born with paralysis down the left side of her body, is now living her dream of becoming a nursery assistant after getting a job at Clever Tots Day Nursery.

She said: “I think people probably saw my disability and not me. I found they were focusing too much on that and not my qualifications and ability for the job. “You don’t really expect that to be a problem in the 21st century.”

She spent two years completing an NVQ level three in childcare to secure her dream job as a nursery worker.

However, despite sending her CV off to hundreds of nurseries across south Essex and applying for a range of jobs in different careers, she remained unsuccessful. But the breakthrough finally came three months ago.

Zoe said: “I just thought to myself, ‘I’m not going to give up’.

“Childcare was something I had really wanted to do since I left school at 16.

“I didn’t really just want to get any job after I had worked so hard to get my qualification at college, but I was so fed up of doing nothing every day. “I absolutely love what I do now.

The children are fantastic and I can’t imagine not working at the nursery.

“I don’t think my disability really affects my ability to do the job, but if I do find it hard to lift something, then I just ask one of my colleagues to help me. They’re very understanding.”

Zoe was able to secure the position at Clever Tots after being referred to a Government work programme led by national job agency, Ingeus.

Created to help the long-term unemployed and support local employers with their recruitment needs, the scheme gave her interview training, helped her to develop an improved CV and gave her a much-needed confidence boost.