You could do a college course, which may help you when applying for more senior care jobs.

Courses include:

• health and social care
• adult care
• health and social care management
• T Level in Health

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

You could apply to do a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, such as:

• Lead Adult Care Worker
• Senior Healthcare Support Worker

You might also train by doing a Lead Practitioner in Adult Care Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship.

These apprenticeships can take up to 2 years to complete and are a mix of workplace training and classroom study.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

You could start as a care support worker or healthcare assistant and move into a senior role through further training and promotion.

You can get some of the skills and knowledge you need for this career by volunteering with an organisation that supports vulnerable people.

You can find volunteering opportunities through:

• Do IT
• NHS England - Volunteering
• The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

You can apply directly for senior care jobs if you have skills, experience and a qualification in social care or healthcare.

A caring personality is very important, as is a respectful attitude towards people who need care and support.

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• the ability to work well with others
• the ability to understand people’s reactions
• the ability to organise your time and workload
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to motivate and manage staff
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks
• have a full driving licence

As a senior care worker, you could:

• develop and review client care plans
• monitor patients' vital signs, like blood pressure and heart rate
• complete patient medication records
• create and lead activities for care service users
• speak with families about their relative's progress
• supervise care workers and train and mentor new starters
• provide emergency cover
• attend team meetings with healthcare professionals and service managers

You could work at an adult care home, at a client's home or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.