With results for A-levels and GCSEs now out, school leavers not planning to go to university will be weighing up their career options.
Apprenticeships are becoming increasingly popular, especially given rising higher education costs. An apprentice scheme allows you to find your feet in a new sector with constant guidance and supervision, with the security of a job at the end.
Lisa Hewitt, qualifications development coordinator for the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (Cache), says now is an ideal time to pursue an apprenticeship in social care – an ageing population and less reliance on informal care is increasing the demand for staff in the sector. Hewitt estimates the number of paid adult social care jobs in 2025 could increase from 1.52m to 2.34m.
“An apprenticeship is a great way in [to social care],” she says. “You learn through experience and are able to work alongside and learn from experienced practitioners. At the same time, you’re gaining a recognised qualification, developing your knowledge and skillset, and you’re getting paid while you learn. It can also lead to progression into a role in the sector once you’ve completed your apprenticeship.”
Cache identifies the following as being crucial for its apprenticeship applicants: communication and interpersonal skills, reflection, personal development, employability, responsiveness, flexibility, commitment, teamwork, reliability and integrity. There are no other entry requirements, but each centre may have its own guidelines for selection. Interviewers will be looking for candidates who understand the sector, role and specific employer, says Hewitt.
“As with any interview, candidates should be able to self-evaluate their skills, strengths and areas of improvement with examples, talk about their interests and achievements, and explain why they should be the chosen candidate.”
Mencap’s apprentice support worker scheme offers around 30 apprenticeships each year across the UK, from Northumberland to Cornwall. Louisa Baker, Mencap’s talent manager, explains: “We offer a fixed term contract for one year with the offer of a permanent job at the end. It’s a great way to gain the qualifications, skills and experience needed to become a support worker while earning money at the same time.”
The apprentice begins by attending a week-long induction training programme and after that works in a full-time position. During the scheme, the apprentice receives monthly visits from a qualified assessor to help them to complete a level two qualification in health and social care.
Baker says the main skills required to join the scheme are: “a desire and commitment to help people with a learning disability live the lives they choose”. She adds: “People with a learning disability are at the centre of everything we do. For aspiring support workers, our recruitment is based strongly around people’s values and helping us match apprentices to the personalities of the people we support.”
Andrea Revell is just completing her apprenticeship on the scheme. To get the role she says she did lots of research into the organisation to make sure it was the right employer for her. “It seemed to be an organisation that stops at nothing to give people equal opportunities and everything I read appeared to match with what I wanted from an employer,” she says. “The difference it makes in people’s lives is brilliant and I wanted to experience that.”
Leicester based charity Advance provides supported housing, shared ownership homes for people with disabilities and mental health conditions, and support services. It currently has four apprentices on its books, with another four in recruitment, as well as plans to expand these.
Caroline Bing, Advance’s assistant HR director, says: “You know a good apprentice when you meet one. In the support field, we don’t necessarily need people with experience but we need people with the right values and behaviours.”
Advance has changed its recruitment processes recently to focus more on these values and behaviours. “We look for people who are enthusiastic, driven and, above all, respectful to others,” says Bing. “We also want people who are interested in a long-term career in social care or the charitable sector.”
Social care apprentices need to have good communication and self-leadership skills. They also need to be self aware and good at managing conflict. This might come from personal experience and not educational training, says Ben Kernighan, deputy chief executive at Leap Confronting Conflict, which works with young people struggling with conflict to get them recruitment-ready.
Many of its graduates go on to successfully complete social care apprenticeship schemes. “Their backgrounds and experience of overcoming difficulties mean they are well placed to support people facing challenging lives,” says Kernighan.
Looking for a job? Browse Guardian Jobs or sign up to Guardian Careers for the latest job vacancies and career advice
