A national charity that provides care services for young people has set out to recruit those looking for a change in career as part of its Staff-in-Training programme, which has doubled the annual intake of recruits in response to the success of the initiative.
Kibble, which is based in Paisley, is hoping to encourage people from all walks of life to consider a career in care, providing support for young people who have faced trauma within their lives.
Through the charity’s Staff-in-Training programme, Kibble has set out to address recruitment challenges faced by the health and social care sector across Scotland. Recruits within the initiative are provided with extensive on-the-job training as well as college level education for one year while earning a salary. Those who complete the 12-month training will be guaranteed an interview for a role with a salary over £28K and have further career development opportunities.
Recruits will complete the course and achieve a HNC in Social Services with the chance to go on to become a Child and Youth Care Worker (CYCW) at Kibble.
Based on previous success, the charity has increased its annual intake on the programme with cohorts throughout the year.
Previous recruits include former warehouse worker, Neil Buie, who came into the industry with no prior experience and is currently 3 months into his training programme, he said: “I think one of the main challenges facing the sector is the perceived lack of accessibility to jobs because of certain specialisms or skills that might be required but I’m living proof that that’s not the case.
“I was working in a warehouse before I decided to take the leap of faith and apply for Kibble’s Staff-in-Training programme. I couldn’t believe when I got the call to say that I had been successful and was going to be put through a full year of on the job and college training – all while being paid! Then to have the opportunity to interview for a full-time role and continue my career with Kibble. The programme has completely changed my life.
Initially, the thought of studying for the HNC qualification was daunting. However, there is a full day each week dedicated to studying and there is great support from Kibble’s Learning and Development team, my mentor and everyone I work with.
“For me, the care of young people is something I’ve always been really interested in and wanted to pursue but I always thought that career path was out of reach for me because I hadn’t gone on to further studying in that field. This programme has given me a change to pursue a career that I’m really enthusiastic about and believe I can really make a difference to the lives of young people in Scotland.”
Jim Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer of Kibble said: “Our Staff-in-Training programme provides an accessible pathway for prospective carers into the sector with financial, training and educational support provided by Kibble along the way.
“Becoming a Child and Youth Care Worker is such a rewarding career path for someone to enter into, it is a privilege to be a constant adult in a young person’s life and motivate them to look positively towards the future.
“We really want to drive home the message that there is no requirement for sector specific skills or education – we recruit based on a set of values and provide all necessary additional training required to fulfil vacant carer roles within the charity.
“We are committed to bringing the best carers into the industry which is why we go over and above to invest significantly in the learning and development of our staff. By delivering specialised training, our workforce is highly competent and knowledgeable in how to deliver the right care, at the right time to young people who need it most.”
Kibble is hosting a recruitment event with Invest in Renfrewshire at the Russell Institute on Monday 17 October, 1.4-pm. The event is designed to help candidates complete the application process. Booking is required, please call 0300 300 1180 or apply via the Invest in Renfrewshire Portal.
For further information on the Staff-in-Training programme or to apply for the next cohort please visit https://www.kibble.org/work-with-us/kibbles-staff-in-training-course/ The applications for the 2023 intake closes on 18 October.
Image depicts Neil Buie, trainee