New Social Care apprenticeships launched for Derry and the North West

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) hosted a special event showcasing the benefits of apprenticeships in social care for both employers and social care practitioners.

Social care may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about apprenticeships. Today’s event was an opportunity to change this by providing a one-stop-shop about what social care apprenticeships are all about for employers, those interested in becoming one, and how they’re being developed across Northern Ireland.

Debbie Walton, Director of Unique Homecare NI attended the event and said: “Apprenticeships are an increasingly used in organisations such as ours to ensure new staff benefit from on-the-job training and the experience of their colleagues at the same time. It also gives them the opportunity to begin earning as they learn as soon as they start their new role.

“Social care apprenticeships are a great way for people to start a new job, but an even better way to start on a new career journey as they learn and develop through the Care in Practice (CiP) Framework.

“We will continue to support staff with social care apprenticeships as they enable us provide the community with a highly trained, dedicated workforce in the profession of social care.”

Focussing on the theme of ‘Empowering social care: Apprenticeships for tomorrow’s workforce’ the information shared at the event highlighted the benefits to both individuals and employers that social care apprenticeships can bring.

There were presentations from the Department for Economy plus insights from the Department for Communities and the Sectoral Partnership Review Group. A question and answer session also allowed attendees to engage with employers, providers and apprentices.

Social Care Council Chief Executive Tracy Reid knows how important growing routes into social care are to deliver the reform work underway, saying: “Apprenticeships in social care are one way to ensure that Northern Ireland has a skilled and qualified social care workforce built for the future needs of communities, from within communities.

“Not everyone knows that a social care apprenticeship is an option for them – our role is to bring together employers and organisations to develop this option as a valuable path into a career in social care.”

A social care apprenticeship can be the first step on the Care in Practice (CiP) Framework, which supports those who work as social care practitioners to build a meaningful career path towards higher roles and qualifications.

Apprenticeships provide free, vocational qualifications for individuals who can earn while they gain experience in their role, benefitting from the knowledge of more experienced colleagues in the sector.

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For employers, apprenticeships help to develop skilled, experienced employees  and in some cases, government funding is available to help fund the cost of training. 

You can find out useful links on social care apprenticeships both for individuals and employers on the Social Care Council website. You can also hear from social care apprentice Josh about his experience of this route info social care here.