Start a career in care in just one week!

An exciting initiative is helping people in Darlington to kickstart their career in care.

Working in partnership with local care providers, Learning & Skills, is offering people aged 19 and over, who are unemployed and live in the Darlington area, the chance to take part in a free weeklong course with a guaranteed job interview upon completion.

The course is part of Learning & Skills employment academy,  and aims to equip people with the basic skills needed to work in the care industry; covering topics including person centred care, safeguarding and infection control.  It also focuses on confidence building and supports learners to develop techniques which will help them be successful at interview. 

Since 2022, the employment academy has supported nearly 200 people into work in industries including hospitality, customer service and warehousing.  The health and social care courses started in September 2024 and so far 13 people, from two cohorts of learners have been supported directly into employment.

Bukky, who attended the course and is now working as a care assistant at Willow Green care home in Darlington said: “I enjoy working in care; I find it very rewarding. The residents are very lively and friendly, and I work with a great team of staff. Gaining employment through this program has allowed me to feel financially secure both for me and my family."

Thomas Horn, Registered Manager of Willow Green, where Bukky works, said: "Working in care provides stable long-term employment with excellent training and career prospects, and at Willow Green we work with our employees to help them balance their role with their home life - offering things like family friendly hours. The employment academy course hosted by Learning & Skills is helping people to develop skills which will prepare them for a career in care and is helping to fill vital care role vacancies in the town. It is also helping to attract a range of different people to the industry, whose diverse backgrounds and experiences are bringing a new perspective to the care profession."

Cllr Chris McEwan, cabinet member for economy at Darlington Borough Council, which operates Learning & Skills, said: "We are committed to ensuring that local people are equipped with the skills they need to access the wealth of employment opportunities available within the care sector, which is a growing and important part of our local economy. Courses like this offer people who may be finding it difficult to get a job, a tangible route into high quality employment, while helping to address the recruitment needs of local businesses. It is a great example of how effective partnership working is supporting our vision for Darlington to be one of the best places to live, learn, work or invest in the UK.”

Learning & Skills is currently accepting enrolments for their upcoming employment academy courses.  Visit www.darlington.gov.uk/learningandskills for more information or tel. 01325 405601.