Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney - 115

FOCUS :

CARE

Can you care?
IF LOOKING AFTER OTHER PEOPLE MAKES YOU HAPPY, CONSIDER
A CAREER IN CARE. IT'S A GROWING INDUSTRY THAT PROVIDES A
SATISFYING NUMBER OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES...
aring for others is a job
like no other. OK, the
financial rewards
may not be as big as in
banking, and the hours
may be more antisocial
than in, say, accountancy.
But a career in social care can provide you with
excellent opportunities to progress, secure
long-term prospects and an enormous sense
of achievement and satisfaction from knowing
that you are helping other people.
It is already big business - in 2012 there were
1.5 million people employed in adult social care
according to the National Audit Office, and it
is estimated that by 2025 there will be around
three million paid jobs in this sector. There
is constant, growing demand for workers in
this industry, across the board. There are
opportunities to care for the elderly, disabled,
those with special needs, young people in crisis,
and those with long-term and terminal illness.
Here we look at some of the options and whether
they may suit your career aspirations.
While much of care in the UK is informal,
provided by family and friends, formal care
is usually split into two options: either working
for an independent or NHS-funded care provider
to provide home-based help, or working in a
care home that provides support for those who
may need more specialised support.
Home working may include helping elderly
and/or disabled people to live independently
in their own home, taking people out for social
events, providing informal carers with a break.
Working in a care home may include shift work,
providing care for the disabled or the elderly in

one particular home, often alongside qualified
nurses. Whichever avenue you choose to take,
there are good, long-term career prospects if
you work hard and have the right aptitude. The
work is varied with no two days the same, and
the hours are usually flexible, with plenty of
part-time positions available, so you can fit it in
around your family and other commitments.
So, whether you're a school leaver, a graduate
or are looking for a change of career, social care
is a job unlike any other. It doesn't discriminate
on your age, how many qualifications you
have or haven't got, or what your background is.
All that matters is that you have a kind, caring
nature, and have enough of that to share with
those people who really need it.

Care sector skills...
To succeed in a career as a carer you need:

* Empathy and the ability to relate to a huge
range of clients and professionals
* Strong communication skills - particularly
to be able to listen well
* The ability to write clear, consistent notes
* Be able and willing to learn about government
and company policies and guidelines, and
to apply them to different situations
* To be self-motivating
* An ability to react quickly, and to remain calm
and logical, even in a crisis situation
* Kindness in spades - even if it isn't returned
* A non-judgemental, tolerant attitude and
approach to dealing with others
* Patience - even in the face of adversity

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 1 1 5
Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney

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