9th January 2024

The Care sector is facing big challenges when it comes to finding new workers across the country. In Berkshire, they need to train around 29,700 new workers and upskill 32,600 by 2035. Oxfordshire is in a similar boat, needing 27,500 replacements, especially in roles like care assistants and managers.

In Buckinghamshire, where 27,000 people work in care (that's 11.1% of the whole county's workers!), there's a shortage of staff at all levels. Even though there was a 7.7% job increase from 2016 to 2021, not enough young people are interested in joining the social care field.

Wiltshire has around 35,000 people working in health and care, making up 11% of all jobs. While there's supposed to be a 22% increase in jobs from 2018 to 2025, there's a problem – there are more job openings than there are people to fill them. The Care sector needs a makeover, and they're working on plans to fix these workforce shortages.

SKILLS NEEDED ACROSS THE SECTOR

Roles: Care Worker • Manager • Chef
Skills: Effective Leadership of Frontline Carers • Health Care Information Management Systems • Specialist skills (e.g. dealing with diabetes and epilepsy) • Registered Management training • Cultural Awareness and Language • Communication and Emotional Skills • Situation Management •Report Writing  

CURRENT COURSES

Bucks College Group

•    Level 1 BTEC Diploma in Introduction to Health, Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
•    Level 2 & 3 BTEC Diplomas in Health & Social Care
•    T Level Supporting Healthcare

Abingdon & Witney College

•    Level 1 and 2 Health & Social Care and Early Years.
•    T Level Health

Berks Activate Learning

•    Foundation: Healthcare pathway
•    Level 1 Certificate Health & Social Care 
•    Level 2 & 3 BTEC Diplomas in Health & Social Care
•    T Level Health
•    Foundation degree: Counselling

Henley College

•    Level 2 and 3 Health & Social Care
•    T Level Health

Newbury College

•    Level 2 & 3 BTEC Diplomas in Health & Social Care

Windsor Forest College Group

•    Level 2 and 3 Health & Social Care
•    T Level Health

Wiltshire College

•    Level 2 and 3 Health & Social Care
•    T Level Adult Nursing

Swindon College

•    Level 2 and 3 Health & Social Care
•    T Level Health

Cirencester College

•    T Levels: Health, Nursing

Bath College

•    Level 1 and 3 Health & Social Care
•    T Level Health

Bucks New University, Oxford Brookes University, Reading University, Bath University

•    Foundation Degree Health & Social Care (Bucks)
•    Adult Nursing and Occupational Therapy degrees (OB)
•    Adult Nursing (Bucks)

Apprenticeships

A wide range of Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships are available.

FUTURE PLANS 

Oxon & Berks: The LSIP (Local Skills Improvement Plan), is all about making education better in certain important areas. Employers are saying we need special training for things like helping with diabetes, supporting people with epilepsy, giving injections, and being leaders. They also want to see more topics, like mental health first aid, handling tough situations, creative thinking, and even things like making food look and taste good, added to the courses at college.

The LSIP is also working on making sure people from other countries who come to work here can speak good English. Education and Training Providers are being told to use funds like LSIF, the Innovation Fund, or Skills Bootcamps to create programs that match what's really needed. They're talking about short and snappy courses that give you just what you need.

They're also throwing in some new ideas, like using the Adult Education Budget more, having employers pay for training, creating courses with or without official certificates, Skills Bootcamps and things like Apprenticeships and T Levels. The ERB (Employer Representative Body) is teaming up with schools and training places to get bosses involved in helping you figure out your careers. 

Bucks: There are many volunteers in the sectors so a pilot to develop and verify work readiness skills has been identified, which has the potential to be rolled out into other sectors.

Wilts: Wiltshire is in consultation with employers and learning providers to assess how training can be improved.

For more resources see our portal section:

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