Professional Care Workers’ Week 2024: Attracting Young Talent

For the seventh year in a row, The Care Workers Charity is, once again, celebrating the achievements of incredible carers up and down the country with Professional Care Workers Week. Looking to the future, how can we better highlight the amazing opportunities of care careers to young people? 

What is Professional Care Workers’ Week? 

Professional Care Workers’ Week (PCWW) is a week-long event celebrating the hard work and dedication of carers. Hosted by The Care Workers Charity, the PCWW welcomes everyone from within and outside the care sector to join in, raise money and organise their own events as part of the celebrations. This year’s theme, “The Future of Social Care”, hones in on the latest developments and changes in the care industry, with sessions touching on social care reform, the future of home and residential care, and the Skills For Care workforce plan. 

Why is Professional Care Workers’ Week so important?

Professional Care Workers’ Week allows professional carers to get together and recognise their achievements as part of vital care services. As well as providing opportunities for fundraising and awareness, PCWW also showcases the importance of continuing to recruit the next generation of carers. As the need for adult social care across the UK continues to grow, it’s estimated that the sector will have another 500,000 care jobs by 2035. With this in mind, PCWW is also a fantastic opportunity to showcase the many benefits of taking on a career as a carer, encouraging the next generation of carers to explore these opportunities and step into care-focused roles. 

Why should we be encouraging more young people to consider a career in the care industry?

When considering the future of social care, it’s impossible to not consider the next generation of care workers. Professional Care Workers’ Week is a fantastic opportunity to encourage more young people to consider a career in social care, as first-hand testimonies and experience emphasise what a wonderful, fulfilling career path it can be. Young people provide new energy and passion to important care roles, yet a recent study by the King’s Fund found that young talent (under 25) is significantly underrepresented in the social care sector. 

At Ashridge Home Care, we have a brilliant team of people who are passionate about helping others. These have included younger recruits, such as Molly and Anya (who joined our award-winning care team during their gap years) and showcased every day how younger people can thrive in care-focused roles. 

How are Ashridge Home Care giving young people the opportunity to work within the care industry?

At Ashridge Home Care, we’ve worked with younger people beginning their careers as carers. With boundless energy, empathy and drive, these incredible young people continue to flourish as part of our dedicated care team, helping us to invest in the future of social care. 

To encourage more amazing young people – like Molly and Anya – to consider careers in care, we offer great training and work that gives young adults the chance to find out more about what a career in care entails. During work experience, they can shadow senior members of the care team, take part in home visits, sit in on interviews for new care staff, and get insights into how Ashridge maintains high standards of client care. Those joining us for work experience get the opportunity to find out more about the varied responsibilities that often go unrecognised in the role, such as keeping detailed records, managing queries and requests and general admin. Read Anya’s story to find out more about how work experience with the Ashridge care team can open minds to the possibilities of a career in care. 

We also take on gap year students, allowing them to develop a real and fulfilling career within the care industry and see if it works for them. Not only can gap year students get to know everything it takes to be an exceptional carer; they also get the opportunity to explore the world of work, developing transferable skills that can be used in a variety of roles and settings. 

Why should young people consider a career in care?

Becoming a carer is an incredibly rewarding career. It’s impossible to list all of the ways that carers give back to local communities, but it is possible to showcase the amazing benefits of a career in care. 

Working as an hourly carer offers great flexibility for young people looking to balance their studies and social life with a stable income. Hourly care schedules can be adjusted to suit you, giving you the chance to spend time with family and friends or begin further education alongside your job. As well as flexibility, care careers offer fantastic progression opportunities, with a salary that increases with experience. At Ashridge Home Care, we believe in giving back to our teams who give so much. That’s why we’re the highest-paying care provider in Buckinghamshire. 

The opportunities are endless. Not only are care jobs so rewarding, they also offer excellent benefits and rewards. From competitive salaries to job security, there’s never been a better time to join the care industry.

At Ashridge Home Care, we want to welcome young people into enriching careers in care. With exceptional pay, flexibility and professional development, we nurture new talent, helping them to become the best carers they can be. Find out more about our visiting care jobs, or get in touch with our team to discuss what a career in care can give you.