Press Release
"Amazing opportunity" for Trainee Social Care Workers
Shetland Islands Council is offering an exciting opportunity for anyone who has ever considered a career in Social Care. There are 12, one year Traineeships in Social Care available which come with a guarantee of part time employment (30 hours per week or more) at the end of the year if performance targets are successfully met.
The programme runs for 35 hours a week and consists of a mixture of work-based learning, college blocks and taster placements in other areas of Social Care, NHS or Voluntary Sector. This gives the trainees a real insight into the different types of work going on in this challenging and ever changing area of service provision.
Gail Bray, Training Manager for Social Care Services said “the taster placements are an excellent way of allowing the trainees to get a feel for the different services offered and to find out where their skills are best positioned”
“We have had trainees from a wide range of backgrounds and age groups, both men and women, who are just setting out in the world of work or interested in a career change.”
Trainees will be supported throughout the course by a mentor in their base care centre and by Trainee Co-ordinator Ruth Einarsson, who has17 years experience in the care profession.
“My passion is for quality person centred care and for staff development” said Ruth.
“This is the first year where the trainees have been able to gain an SVQ qualification as part of their college block – SVQ2 Health and Social Care.
“We are offering a paid traineeship, where you will gain a qualification and have the guarantee of a job at the end of it. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who is considering a career within a caring profession”.
Faye Goodlad, one of this year’s trainees said “It is good to do all the training and written work in short blocks throughout the placement as you can take what you learn each block into the care settings”.
As a trainee you will be based in one of our care centres, working alongside other staff and working shifts. Traineeships are offered in care centres throughout Shetland, in Unst, Yell, Whalsay, Brae, Walls, Levenwick and in various places in Lerwick.
The latest group of Trainee Social Care Workers are coming to the end of their training and are looking forward to starting employment in August.
Trainee Gary Smith said, “After seeing the advert in the paper I thought it was too good an opportunity to miss. Coming from a construction background, I wanted to do something different which involved helping people. Had it not been for the traineeship I probably wouldn't have become a social care worker. Having a regular wage during training has been a big advantage as I have a mortgage and a young family”.
Trainee Ruth Grainger said, “ I’m 40 years old and have not had a “proper” career up till now – with 4 bairns to look after I worked part time in school as a classroom assistant, which provided excellent holidays, if not a career...
“Going into Social Care has certainly provided challenges, I was nervous that I had forgotten how to study, but in reality I’ve found it very rewarding.
“There has been a lot of support from both my mentor in the care centre where I am based and from the co-ordinator. I love supporting the service users – getting to know them is such a privilege”
For more information or to apply for one of these posts, visit www.myjobscotland.gov.uk, job reference number: SIC 1326. The closing date is Friday 03 June 2011.