Explore whether a career in social care is right for you, and identify and develop the skills you need for a career in the sector.

7,177 enrolled on this course

Close-up image of two social care workers, both smiling
  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

Successfully apply your skills to become a great social care worker

Discover how your skills and talents might make you the perfect fit for a social care career, and get careers advice on how to search for a job and do well in an interview.

This course has been created to meet the needs of employers – alongside world-leading skills development specialists at City & Guilds – meaning you’ll come away with the tools and knowledge you need to apply for a job in social care in the UK*. *Subject to eligibility to work or study in the UK.

Decide if a social care career is right for you

There are currently over 100,000 social care job vacancies in the UK alone. There is a unique opportunity for people to transfer their experience and talents into a growing sector – since 2009, the number of adult social care jobs have increased by 22%.

On this course, you’ll learn about the attitudes and behaviours employers are looking for, and how to showcase your drive to work in social care, helping your application to stand out.

Gain a digital credential from City & Guilds

At the end of the course, you will be invited to test your knowledge and, if you pass, you will gain a digital credential from City & Guilds. You can then use your credential to prove your learning and search for job opportunities, marking the start of your transition into an exciting new career.

Get exclusive access to job and learning opportunities

Once you have your digital credential, you will have access to a growing number of employers who want to hear from you if you are interested in working in social care, organisations that can help you get ready for interviews and find a job in the sector as well as training organisation offering relevant courses if you prefer learning more about social care before you start work in social care.

What topics will you cover?

  • What makes a great social care worker?
  • Roles and career opportunities in social care
  • Utilising your skills and experience so far
  • Job opportunities in social care

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Describe key social care settings, employers and regulators in the UK
  • Identify key social care roles and their responsibilities
  • Describe the role of safety and safeguarding for employers, carers, and those being cared for
  • Summarise the core values and behaviours fundamental to the social care sector
  • Identify existing skills and experience for roles in the social care sector
  • Identify whether social care is for you
  • Develop the skills to search for a job and prepare for an interview

Who is the course for?

This course is for anyone currently considering a career in social care in the UK – it will introduce you to the social care sector and help you decide if working in social care is for you. This course will allow you to consider all employment and progression opportunities available in social care to those eligible to work in the UK.

Who will you learn with?

I am a qualified and registered social worker with over 30 years experience in all aspects of social care work.
I also work with City & Guilds as a Consultant on their care qualifications.

Who developed the course?

City & Guilds Group

We support over 4 million people each year to develop skills that help them into a job, develop on that job and to prepare for their next job. As a charity, we’re proud that everything we do is focused on achieving this purpose. 

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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