Social care as a career
Step five: Develop yourself (qualifications and career progression)
Not many other professions give the opportunity to 'learn while you earn'. New starters are given induction training to help provide the knowledge and skills required to work safely, and employers will often support you to achieve work based Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) qualifications.
The QCF replaced National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) in January 2011 as the qualifications providing occupational competence for certain roles and areas of work. This is useful to know, especially if you are thinking of undertaking a course to improve your chances of finding work. Check which qualifications are recommended for different roles on our qualifications pages.
Social care practitioners are expected to update their knowledge, skills and competence regularly, and will be encouraged to gain a QCF Level 2 or 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care whilst in employment. Senior or specialised roles are more likely to require specific experience or qualifications. For example senior practitioners and managers will be expected to have a QCF Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for their chosen setting. A Degree or Masters Degree in Social Work may also provide occupational competence for these roles. If you have a job or service in mind, check whether a ‘working in’ e-leaflet detailing the required skills and qualifications is available from our careers resources page.
Step six: Reap the rewards >>>