Why you don't need qualifications for a career in adult social care
Don’t worry if you haven’t got qualifications or experience; there are lots of roles within adult social care that allow you to start working at an entry level, once you have started your employment you can continue to learn with a range of job role-specific qualifications to help build and support your knowledge to help you progress in your career.
Take the quiz to find out which job is best for you
Progressing your career in adult social care?
"Social care: a rewarding career for you", is a guide which has been created by Skills for Care. It can help you find out more about working in social care and how to advance your career once you have started working.
This is for you if you're:
- a job seeker
- a student
- considering a change of career
- a care worker wanting to progress in your career
If covers topics like:
- why choose a career in social care?
- how can I get into social care and where to start?
- what you need to progress in your career
- job roles with job descriptions
- cases studies of people currently working within a range of different roles talking about how they have progressed in their career
Visit Skills for Care to download the "Social care: a rewarding career for you" guide.
Examples of entry-level jobs
Entry-level jobs include:
- care worker/support worker
- shared lives carer
- personal assistant
- kitchen assistant
- housekeeper/domestic worker
- maintenance worker
- administrator/receptionist
Can't find a job that suits you? Register your interest and care providers will contact you if anything comes up.
Career support and community learning
Care certificate
If this is will be your first job or you are new to working in adult social care, the care certificate is an introductory-level qualification which has been produced to support you at the start of your career. It consists of skills and behaviours expected of specific job roles within the social care sectors. You will complete the care certificate as part of your induction. The care certificate can also be completed if you are in a non-caregiving role such as a cook or maintenance person. You will be assessed on what you know and what you do to show that you understand your role. You can use the learning from the care certificate towards some existing care sector qualifications or apprenticeships in the future.
Find out more about the care certificate.
National Careers Service
Helping with learning and work
For support getting into work or learning, the Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy offers a range of free careers advice and courses.