Jill Whittaker, Managing Director, Connect2Care
No other sector has sat at the epicentre of the pandemic from the very outset quite like social care. And while the UK has been slowly learning to live with Covid-19, its lasting effect on those working in care is clear to see. Our latest research, which forms part of the new ‘See the Opportunity’ Q&A toolkit, shows that all care managers surveyed are finding it harder to retain staff in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
At Connect2Care, we are dedicated to helping solve the UK care sector’s staffing crisis. We strongly believe that flexible training options are key to attracting ambitious individuals to organisations, and – importantly – keep them there by providing ongoing opportunities to upskill and progress in their caring career.
While 87.5% of employers in care believe that further training investment would help to recruit and retain staff, less than 40% offer apprenticeships to employees at all career levels. This is despite 90.3% of care sector employees saying they would be more likely to stay in a role if their employer invested in their training from the outset.
This is where apprenticeships can help. There is a misconception that apprenticeships are a linear or formulaic approach to training. Thankfully, the flexible delivery options that are available to employers via apprenticeships mean that everyone has access to career development via a model that suits their individual needs.
Our latest study showed that most care operators are interested in flexible training options, with 75% of employers in the sector saying they would consider front-loaded training to help speed-up the process. More than 90% of employees in the field would be more willing to start an apprenticeship or training course if they could condense learning into a shorter period.
Many care providers are not yet aware of the numerous flexible training routes available for employees, so that’s why Connect2Care’s new toolkit demystifies some of the complexities surrounding apprenticeships. The toolkit answers common questions many employers have about how they can maximise these opportunities – and which is the best route to take so that their people can prosper.
Find out which apprenticeship pathway will work best for your organisation with Connect2Care’s See the Opportunity toolkit, which can be downloaded for free.