Think Careers in Social Care

A career in social care offers long-term employment prospects, with opportunity for promotion and progression as well as job security. 

Adult social care is one of the few sectors where jobs are increasing, offering significant numbers of long-term career opportunities in the current job market.

There are lots of different roles and plenty of job opportunities to progress, social care is a great choice for people who are thinking about their career. The adult social care sector will need up to 520,000 more workers by 2035 to meet growing demand for care and support. 

Even if someone has never worked in adult social care before, they may have transferable skills that would make them an excellent care worker. These could come from working in other industries or from their personal life. One of the great things about adult social care is that as long as someone has the right core values, most employers will provide development opportunities to enable people to put their transferable skills into action.

Follow the link to Skills for Care to find inspiring examples of where people have done just that! https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Careers-in-care/teachers-and-careers-advisors/teachers-and-careers-advisors.aspx

• Find out more

Think Care Careers is a website that helps you to find out what job roles there are in social care and the range of skills and qualifications you need. www.skillsforcare.org.uk/thinkcarecareer

A Question of Care: a career for you is an interactive tool that uses videos to recreate common situations that might occur in a day-to-day social care role. At the end you receieve a detailed personal profile telling you if you’ve got what it takes. www.aquestionofcare.org.uk

The Graduate Management programme offers a one-year placement in a social care and health management role. www.skillsforcare.org.uk/graduates

Social care apprenticeships are a great route into social care if you want to gain experience and complete a qualification whilst working and earning a wage. www.skillsforcare.org.uk/socialcareapprenticeships

Your local Jobcentre Plus, careers advisor or local college might be able to offer support about: 

Employability support 

Practical support or training to help you develop the skills and attitudes to help you find and keep work.

Pre-employment training

This is a short course designed to give a good idea of what it would be like to work in social care and helps you develop the skills to get started.

Job search and vacancy lists 

Access to online vacancy lists and practical help with finding and applying for roles.