Looking For a New Career in Care in 2022? What to Expect From Your New Job
Careers in the care sector can be challenging but they can also be extremely rewarding. If you already work in the care industry and are considering finding new employment, then you probably already know this. However, just how fulfilling a career in care can be should never be understated, especially among people who are looking to do something different with their working lives. If you have only ever interacted with people at office team meetings or with customers over a shop counter, then it can be a huge surprise to find out just how personally rewarding care work can be. So, regardless of what you might have done in the past, where should you set your expectations when it comes to a new care job in 2022? Read on to find out.
Firstly, it should be said that the care sector in the UK is evolving, even if this is at an admittedly slow pace. The way funding for adult care services works – something that is a big issue in geriatric care, in particular – is changing. With the cost of care now capped, so more people will be able to pass on the remaining equity in their homes to their offspring. The state will pick up the rest of the cost after an initial sum has been spent. In turn, this is likely to alter the way people start to think and value care given that it won’t always be viewed as a bottomless spending pit.
Indeed, some people are now likely to spend a bit more than the minimum on their care needs and fund additional services that might fall outside of their care plan. Should this lead to more money being paid to care workers? In the long-term, this is probably going to happen with good workers being rewarded for their diligence. Some care providers, like Anglian Care in Essex, already pay more than the industry standard to help maintain high standards of care. Look out for employers who don’t shirk when it comes to remuneration.
In addition, care is likely to be more diverse than ever before. This is down to a changing population, especially as the median average age of the country goes up. In short, more and more people will require care of some sort. This means the care sector is a growing one. What’s more, as fewer European nationals head to the UK to fill vacancies – at least in the short-term following Brexit – there will be an ever-greater demand for home-grown people with the right skill sets. What employers are looking for is experience, particularly in care delivery that takes place in people’s homes.
This is likely to be where many new jobs will be created as the traditional nursing home model of care gives way to new approaches. If you don’t have experience with domiciliary care, then you should at least show willingness and have the desire to find out more. Ask to shadow someone who does this sort of work to find out more about what is involved with mobile care provision in people’s homes. Of course, since this is a big part of the way care is delivered in the UK these days, the ability to get about will be crucial. Usually, this means having a driver’s license, so pass your test if you have not yet done so already.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that care home workers will need to be vaccinated or medically exempt against coronavirus in 2022. This isn’t something employers are insisting on as opposed to a change in UK law. Another law change will see mandatory gender pay gap reporting, a good thing to know in a sector, like care, which is predominantly – but not exclusively – made up of female workers. What this is likely to mean is that any differences in pay between men and women that have existed for historical reasons should start to be ironed out.
Nevertheless, pay gaps do still exist in the sector so look for potential employers that value career growth. If you attend an interview for a job, then always ask the would-be employer what can be done to help you with your ongoing career development. The things you will want to hear are ongoing training opportunities, routes into management and even mentoring schemes whereby you learn more from someone else within the organisation who has already progressed their career. All good employers should at least offer a few routes forward with career development.