Becoming a Carer: What carer training do I need?

Carers provide a vital service for many vulnerable people in the UK, and being a carer is a very rewarding career. But it is also hard work and requires a certain set of personal skills and attributes. 

As well as being an excellent entry level job in the care sector, the role of a carer can also be a first step towards a career in health and social care. 

Whether you’re a school leaver or considering a career change, it’s important to know what training will be involved before you start your new career in the care sector.

What is a carer?

The role of a care worker involves providing support for vulnerable people of varying ages and abilities. Care workers provide a vital lifeline for their clients, offering both practical support and emotional support. 

The duties of a care worker involve assisting with everyday tasks like housework, shopping and paying bills. You’ll also need to be comfortable helping your clients with personal care such as washing and dressing. Care workers may need to communicate with other health and social care providers and their client’s family members, helping to determine care plans.

If you’re interested in becoming a carer, you’ll need to be practical, organised and good at problem solving. You’ll also need to have a friendly, caring nature and a good sense of humour as you’ll be working closely with your client. 

What training do care workers need?

Becoming a care worker is ideal for those who have no prior experience in the care sector, and most care worker jobs won’t require you to have formal care qualifications. 

However you may need to have GCSEs in English and Maths, and any health related qualifications that you do have will help to improve your chances of landing your dream job. These could include qualifications such as a Certificate in Health and Social Care or T Level in Health.

Although you don’t need to have formal care qualifications to apply for care worker jobs, the Care Certificate course is mandatory training for carers. This course covers the standards set out by Skills for Care and Health Education England which all care workers have to adhere to.  

If you don’t already hold the Care Certificate, you will need to pass this course within the first few weeks after starting your new job. So you may find it useful to study this course before you start applying for jobs. 

Caredemy’s online Care Certificate course makes it easy to fit your studies around your other commitments. You can keep track of your progress with our Learner Dashboard, which makes it simple to pick up where you left off in your last study session. And we’re so sure you’ll be satisfied with the course that we offer a full 14 day money-back guarantee. 

You can enrol online through the Care Certificate course page or contact our Sales Team for more information. 

What other carer training courses are available?

Once you have started your new job as a care worker, you may be interested in undertaking further carer courses. 

At Caredemy, we offer a wide range of health and social care courses including a range of courses to help you to meet the Care Quality Commission (CQC) 15 standards. These aren’t essential for becoming a carer but could help you with your career development if you would like to progress onto other health and social care roles. 

Caredemy health and social care courses can help you to build a satisfying and rewarding career in care.