Starting a career in care
Adult social care is about helping people live their daily lives when they need extra support.
This could be older people, people with disabilities, or people recovering from illness.
Care can happen in someone’s home, in a care home, or even in day services. It’s about giving people independence, dignity, and a better life.
Why work in care?
Working in care means making a real difference every day. You help people feel safe, supported, and valued. No two days are the same, and you’ll learn new skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving. Care offers flexible hours, plenty of job opportunities, and the chance to grow your career while doing something that truly matters.
Career progression
There are many roles in adult social care, so you can start in one and move into others as you gain experience and training.
You could work directly with people as a Care Worker or Personal Assistant. You could work as an Administrator or Cook.
With more experience, you can specialise in one area, or you can even move into leadership as a Team Leader or Manager.
See all career progression opportunities
Getting started
The social care academy offers free training to help you build skills and confidence to apply for a job in care.
How to sign up:
- Go to the Social Care Academy learning portal. This is where you can find free online training.
- Click “Create new account” to make an account.
- Fill in your details and confirm your email.
- Enrol on courses you think will help you.
- Complete the course and collect your certificate.
All courses are free, so you don’t need to pay.
Live training, such as in-person or webinar sessions, are only available to those already working in adult social care. However, you can access our huge library of eLearning.
Need help? Email SocialCareAcademy@staffordshire.gov.uk.
Start applying for jobs
Begin your job search today using these recommended websites: