People considering a career in care need no prior experience or qualifications – but the role “requires something that they can’t teach in school”, Paralympian Ade Adepitan has said.
The 48-year-old’s comments come as celebrities join forces to encourage people to take up a life-changing career in care as part of the Government’s recruitment drive to fill scores of vacancies.
The big names include TV presenter and wheelchair basketballer Adepitan, whose older sister, Omoyile, has Down’s syndrome and has been given the tools to gain independence by her carers.
Penning his own job description, he said care workers every day “build on the foundation of what it really means to be human, through a natural inclination to care, love, and protect”.
He continued: “This job requires no previous experience, no qualifications. This job requires something that they can’t teach in school.
“We only ask that you care – that you care about the lives of others and the difference you could make.”
Model and reality TV star Christine McGuinness, 33, who recently filmed a documentary about her family after her three children were diagnosed with autism, said she met “remarkable” care staff, who were having “an incredible impact on people’s lives”, as part of her research.
She added: “All people need to get started in their career in social care is their natural qualities. There’s training for everything else.
A role in care can provide a truly rewarding and fulfilling career
“Working in care really does change lives.”
The Government’s Made With Care recruitment campaign, launched in November, aims to fill 105,000 empty jobs.
Care minister Gillian Keegan urged anyone who thinks they might have something to offer to apply for a “rewarding, fulfilling, and varied” career.
She said: “You don’t need qualifications to get started and there are many opportunities for professional development.
“Those already working in adult social care are doing an amazing job and we need more people to join them.”
One of the highlights for me is just spending time with those in our care – they've seen so much of the world – and hearing their stories and learning from their experiences
Angela Luckett, an experience co-ordinator in Manchester said she is grateful to be working in the industry.
The 62-year-old changed careers in her late 50s because she felt working as a personal stylist was not giving her the level of fulfilment she wanted.
She said: “One of the highlights for me is just spending time with those in our care – they’ve seen so much of the world – and hearing their stories and learning from their experiences.
“It really is a magical place to work and I’d recommend anyone looking for a rewarding career to consider care.”
