Why working in care is a great career choice for young people

Deciding what you want to do after education can feel like a big decision, especially if you’re not sure which career path is right for you. A career in care gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives while developing transferrable skills and gaining meaningful experience.

Whether you’re leaving school or college, looking for an apprenticeship or simply exploring your options, there are plenty of ways to start building a career in care. 

In this guide, we provide career advice for young people looking to start a vocation in care including where to start, available career paths and progression, and how to gain valuable experience.

Why you should consider a career in care

There are many reasons why care is a great place to start when it comes to building your career and supporting your future: 

• Lack of experience and qualifications don’t hold you back 
• Learn and develop practical and transferrable skills while you work
• The opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives every day 
• Build meaningful relationships with others, whether that be residents, their families or your colleagues 
• Experience varied work where no two days are the same 
• Gain access to brilliant training and development 
• Plenty of opportunities to progress into leadership roles
• Flexible working options to fit around your studies and other commitments
• Excellent rewards and benefits 
• The opportunity to build your confidence and take real responsibility

Build transferrable skills for your future  

In addition to all the above, starting a career in care can help you develop practical and transferrable skills that you can take with you throughout your working life. 

Working closely with residents, their families, and colleagues allows you to build the following skills:

• Problem-solving: Developing solutions for challenging situations and adapting your approach to different individuals and their needs 
• Teamwork: Gain experience working alongside colleagues to provide the best care possible 
• Communication: Learn how to communicate confidently with different people, whether this be colleagues, residents or their family 
• Empathy: Taking the time to listen to residents and understand their individual needs
• Organisation skills: Experience balancing different responsibilities and priorities

Available career paths

Although care is a great place to start, it doesn’t have to just be a temporary or entry-level job. At Anchor, there are plenty of opportunities to progress and turn your first job into a meaningful career that you’re proud of. 

Discover care jobs you can start with no experience and how these roles can progress over time:

• Care Assistant > Senior Care Assistant > Care Team Leader > Deputy Care Home Manager > Care Home Manager 
• Care Home Housekeeper > Housekeeping Manager 
• Care Home Catering Assistant > Care Home Deputy Chef Manager > Care Home Chef Manager 
• Food and Beverage Assistant > Food and Beverage Supervisor > Food and Beverage Manager 
• Customer Experience Advisor > Customer Experience Team Leader > Customer Experience Team Manager
• Discover the different career paths at Anchor to find out where you fit and read our blog to find out how to become a care assistant.

How to start a career in care

It’s possible to start a career in care with no prior experience or qualifications, as employers value compassion, empathy, and willingness to learn over formal qualifications.

There’s also plenty of general life skills that you can have without any previous work experience that stand you in good stead when it comes to care:

• Empathy
• Patience
• Reliability
• Teamwork 
• Listening skills 
• Positive attitude 
• Approachability 
• Prioritisation and planning skills

You can also reference informal experience on your CV and in your interview, such as:

• Caring for a family member 
• Helping neighbors 
• Volunteer work (your local care home, community centres and local groups and organisations are all great examples)  

How to gain experience

Most of your learning will happen within the role, but there’s plenty of opportunities to gain experience beforehand, whether this be through an apprenticeship, a college course or hands-on entry-level roles like the Care Assistant or Housekeeping Assistant. 

When joining Anchor as a Care Assistant, you’ll be provided with all the training and development you need to succeed, including nationally recognised qualifications like the NCQ or QCF. 

Another great way to gain experience is by volunteering. Get in touch with your local care home and offer to visit and chat to residents or help with social activities. This will also give you a good idea of what life is like in a care home and whether this is the route for you.

Experience from related sectors

Experience doesn’t just have to be gained by working in care directly. There are many job roles that require the skills needed to succeed in this sector that you could gain experience in beforehand:

• Customer service 
• Retail 
• Hospitality 
• Childcare 
• Admin or reception work 
• Other customer-facing roles

Care apprenticeships

Although you don’t strictly need practical experience to get started, a care apprenticeship can be a great way to step into the sector. 

When you choose an apprenticeship with Anchor, you’ll gain valuable experience in dealing with real life situations in a working environment, while working towards a nationally recognised qualification. 

You’ll have the opportunity to study from entry level 2 to master’s degree level 7 within our two apprenticeship pathways in care and central support.

Can I work in care while studying?

Yes, you can absolutely work in care alongside your studies. The flexibility of a career in care means you can balance work around studying and other commitments.

Opting for a role like Bank Care Assistant means you can often choose when you work, with the ability to pick up shifts as and when you’re available.

Hear from our Anchor colleague to find out more: 

How I balance university and working as a Bank Care Assistant at Anchor.

Start your career in care with Anchor

Ready to take the first step towards your career in care? Whether you’re looking for your first job or are looking to build a valuable, long-term career, discover our current opportunities and explore where a career with Anchor could take you.