Support, Grow, Thrive: Why Social Care Is a Career Worth Considering
Did you know that social care has a bigger workforce than the NHS in England?
Despite such a large workforce, which brings a wide variety of exciting career opportunities, the sector still suffers from outdated stereotypes, such as care work is just “any old job”, “shift work”, or a “stepping stone”.
These assumptions are incredibly inaccurate. Working in social care isn’t just a job; it’s a career – and one that is worth considering. Read on to discover why social care is a career worth considering and why it could be the right career choice for you.
What Makes Social Care a Calling?
In England, approximately 1.5 million people work in adult social care. So, why is it such a popular role?
One of the main reasons why many people are drawn to a career in social care is the emotional rewards it offers. When you work in social care, you get to:
- Make a real difference to someone’s daily life
- Build long-term relationships
- Support their independence and dignity.
Some careers don’t offer that feel-good factor, but when you work in social care, you see and feel the difference you are making every single day. Your clients really appreciate everything you do for them, and when they’re happy, it fills up your cup and makes you feel like you’re making a real difference..
Working in social care also allows you to support people’s independence and ensure they can live the life they want, which is incredibly rewarding for them and you.
For example, Nicola, our Service Manager at Aspire Personalised Care, previously ran her own business as a hairdresser before joining us over 10 years ago.
Due to unforeseen health problems, Nicola had to give up her business, and after several years of recovery, she wanted to return to work.
Her sister-in-law suggested social care, which aligned with Nicola’s desire to make a difference in people’s lives, but she initially wasn’t sure if the role would be right for her. Here’s Nicola to explain her journey with us:
“I came here [to Aspire Personalised Care] thinking it would put me on until pension age, but have instead found a fulfilling, long-term career. I never thought I could replace my hairdressing career, and I’m so glad I was proven wrong.
Social care helps someone get up in the morning, and ensures they know how valued they are. Even the small things, like helping someone make themselves a coffee in the morning, contribute to a person’s worth and can ultimately save lives.
I am very proud of myself, and everything I have achieved with Aspire.”
Read Nicola’s full story here.
Skills, Growth & Progression
Another reason why social care is a career worth considering is that it can help you learn new skills and enhance your existing ones. Working in social care helps you to build transferable and professional skills, including:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Conflict resolution
- Organisational skills
- Safeguarding
- Teamwork
- Person-centred planning
- Resilience and patience
- Critical thinking
- Adaptability.
Some people might assume that there’s little career progression or professional development in social care, but this is not the case, especially not at Aspire Personalised Care.
At Aspire Personalised Care, we want to support all our staff and help them achieve their career goals, which is why we can fund your learning up to NVQ Level 5 in Health and Social Care.
We also provide regular in-house training opportunities to ensure our team can deliver the best possible care to our clients and advance in their careers.
A Career with Real Security and Demand
If you’re looking for a career with job security that is in high demand, then social care might be what you’re looking for. Currently, social care roles are in high demand, with an estimated 8.3% of social care roles being vacant in 2023/24.
In the future, social care roles will continue to grow due to an ageing population and increasing awareness of mental health issues, which will mean the UK will continue needing more and more care workers.
In fact, according to The King’s Fund research, by 2035, England will need 500,000 more social care staff.
This is fantastic news for those already in the industry or professionals planning to join the social care sector, as it means that you will have job security and stability.
Why Aspire is Different
If you’re starting out and looking for a rewarding career or fancy a change of pace and want to give social care a try, then you need to consider working with us.
At Aspire Personalised Care, we specialise in providing high–quality support for adults with complex care needs. Our personalised approach allows us to tailor our client’s support based on their individual needs.
Our tagline is ‘We care like family’, and we do, but not just for our clients; we care like family for our team and want to see you succeed.
Here’s a quick snapshot of why we are different and why our staff enjoy working at Aspire Personalised Care:
- Values-led support – Our values shape us, and they ensure that everyone we work with (both clients and staff) receives the care and respect they deserve.
- Specialist care training – We are committed to your development and career, and we provide the specialist care training necessary to help you succeed.
- Strong team culture – We’re a close-knit team and believe in creating a culture that makes people want to come to work.
- Clear career pathways – You are in control of your career; if you want to achieve NVQ Level 5, we’ll help you get there by developing a clear career pathway.
Are you thinking about joining our team?
We don’t ask that you have specific experience in care when you join our team, but we do ask that you share our values and portray these admirable qualities and traits:
Could This Be Your Calling?
If you’ve ever dismissed a role in care because you thought it wasn’t a worthy career or you assumed it wasn’t a rewarding job, we hope we’ve made you think twice!
Our dedicated team has over 60 years of experience supporting and caring for our community, so we know all too well the myths and incorrect assumptions about what a career in the care sector looks like. We believe the only way you’ll know if a care career is right for you is by trying it.
So, whether you’re starting out or starting over, Aspire Personalised Care could be the place where your career truly begins. Discover our current vacancies and join our team today!