If you’re looking for a rewarding career, why not find out about the available opportunities in social care jobs? The work is varied and it’s suitable for people of all ages, whether you’re just starting out on the career ladder or looking for a change.
Read on for the top ten reasons why social care could be the career path for you:
1. Skills from your former job can be easily transferred to social care due to the diverse career opportunities in the sector. For example, a graduate with a Masters degree in corporate management, who has worked in the private sector, could utilise transferable skills by joining the care sector as a chief executive.
2. According to Laura Anthony, the regional co-ordinator of training organisation Skills for Care, a career in social care offers opportunities for progression such as becoming a home manager, going into social work or counselling, or joining the housing and education sectors.
3. Social care jobs are very rewarding, as they involve helping people to enjoy a better quality of life. You can really make a difference and see those people you’re helping develop over a period of time with your support.
4. There’s plenty of on-the-job training and it’s up to you how far you progress. If you’re ambitious, anything’s achievable and you can diversify into the branch of social care which best suits you with ongoing training.
5. Each individual job features lots of different duties and responsibilities. For example, a team manager helping young people with physical and learning disabilities assists with education, employment, health and social aspects of their life skills, while liaising with health professionals, agencies and schools to create a balanced support system.
6. A social care job offers an attractive salary, ranging from around £18,000 per annum for personal assistants to £32,000 for a senior social worker, and £42,000 for an assistant service manager.
7. For unemployed people, there are a number of government initiatives aimed at helping people into a career in social care. Speak to an advisor at your local Job Centre Plus for information.
8. If you’re looking to complete a university degree in social work as a mature student who’s changing career, then a bursary may be available to help with the costs of your education. Even if you don’t have a qualification in social care, it’s still possible to work in the sector, as a good attitude and life experience can be just as valuable. Having qualifications enables you to take on a role with more responsibility.
9. People will always need care – it’s a recession-free industry. Unlike in many other sectors, there will always be employment in the care sector.
10. If you’re already a graduate aiming to retrain as a social worker, the Children’s Workforce Development Council is running the Step Up To Social Work recruitment scheme, offering graduates £15,000 for retraining as a social worker.
