Interest in social care courses booms

Workforce experts have hailed a huge rise in the number of young
people taking vocational social care qualifications.

Richard Banks, head of workforce development at Skills for Care,
said the figures, published last week, were proof that social care
employers were forming good links with schools and colleges.

The number of people taking the advanced single vocational
certificate of education in health and social care this year rose
more than 10 per cent on 2004, while there was a 22 per cent
increase in the number taking the advanced subsidiary course.

Banks said that, although many people would use the qualification
to move into health-related jobs, social care would also benefit.

He believed some young people were taking vocational qualifications
as a precursor to studying for the new social work degree at
university.

Jill Manthorpe, of the social care workforce research unit at
King’s College, London, said careers advisers were convincing young
people that social care was “a career worth going into”, adding:
“The investment in this area might be paying off.”

Banks also highlighted the importance of “care ambassadors” –
people working in the sector who go into schools and colleges to
talk about their experiences.

• Results from www.jcgq.org.uk/