Adult learners complete first step towards a career in health and social care
4th April 2024
A group of 10 adult learners have made a successful start on their journey into the caring professions, becoming the first to complete a free 4-week course at City College Norwich which covers essential skills for working in health and social care.
The Apollo Essential Skills in Care course, which is supported by NHS England and the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, is designed to provide a first step for those thinking about working in health and social care who may not have the experience or qualifications they need to do so.
The course provides an introduction to core topics that are relevant to all healthcare roles, ranging from practical care skills, to person-centred care, First Aid, and safeguarding.
In addition, the group have benefitted from individual mentoring, skill-building workshops for career readiness, personalised help with job-seeking, and support with job interviews.
The Apollo Essential Skills in Care course included practical sessions in our new Health Skills Suite.
Feedback from learners who have completed the course
The course is a very good starting point. It covers a lot in 4 weeks,” says Max White, who was part of the first group to complete the course.
Another member of the group is Kane Wanless who gained experience as a caregiver from looking after a family member. These experiences helped him discover his motivation to work in a role where he can help others.
The course has really deepened my knowledge and understanding of what it would actually be like to get into care in a professional sense,” says Kane, “I would definitely recommend it.”
He is looking to secure an apprenticeship as the next step in his training, and has identified mental health nursing as an area he is interested in working towards:
I want to get all the training and see how far I can progress and how far I want to progress.”
For Celeste Mandica, whose first language is Portuguese, the course has provided an ideal next step after improving her English skills through English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses at the college:
I really enjoy studying at City College because it’s opened a lot of opportunities. My English is very much improved.
I was very excited when I found out about this course because I have been looking at jobs in care. I want to carry on with my studies, learn more, so I can be an adult care assistant. My passion is for helping people. This course has been very, very helpful.”
A key step towards careers in health and social care
The group were presented with certificates for completing the course by City College Norwich’s Principal, Jerry White, who says:
The Essential Skills in Care course provides a free, practical introduction to the core skills needed to work in a wide range of health and social care roles. Alongside this, it offers individual support, advice and mentoring.
The feedback from the first group of learners on the course has been very positive and we are delighted to have been able to support these individuals to take the next steps towards their future careers in health and social care.”
Find out more about the Essential Skills in Care course
Are you looking to launch your career in health and social care? Or simply curious about working in the sector? If so, our free course for adults, Essential Skills in Care, is designed for you. Learn about different roles, identify your transferable skills, and receive free mentoring and job coaching to help you secure a job. Want to find out more? Email Apollo@ccn.ac.uk or go to https://www.ccn.ac.uk/adults/apollo/.