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My World of Work

Social care

Are you passionate about caring for others? A career in social care could be perfect for you.

What impact could you make?

Apply your skills to care for others and support them to lead independent and fulfilling lives. 
Make positive changes to improve people’s quality of life.  The work may be challenging at times, but it'll be rewarding too.
Work in a variety of environments and connect with lots of different people. 
A young person entering this industry can expect a career working their way up from the bottom to the top. I started as a trainee and worked my way up to a senior practitioner.HayleySenior Practitioner 

Social care at a glance

There are a lot of routes you could take in social care. You might work with the public, giving you the chance to meet and care for a range of people with unique backgrounds and needs. 

You could also provide support from behind-the-scenes. By working as an accountant, chef, software designer or something else, you'll have a positive impact on the care people receive.

No matter what role you choose, working in social care changes lives for the better.

Employment

In 2023, there were around 187,400 people working in Scotland’s social care industry.

Job availability

Between 2023 and 2026, it's expected there will be 18,000 people needed to fill job openings in Scotland.

Job diversity

As of October 2023, there are 5,973 Modern Apprentices in training across sport, health and social care.

Source: Social Care Sectoral Skills Assessment 2023

Get a career which changes people's lives for the better

We’ve pulled out some of the most popular social care job profiles for you to explore.

Things you may not know about social care

One in 13 people employed across Scotland work in social services.

Source: Scottish Social Services Council

Many employers in social care are moving towards value-based recruitment. This means they’re looking for people who hold the key values they need.

Source: Scottish Social Services Council

There are over 10,000 social workers registered with the Scottish Social Services Council in Scotland.

Source: Scottish Social Services Council

What subjects you could take in school

We've pulled together some examples of subjects and Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) that could be useful for getting into a social care career.

sociology

Social Services and Healthcare FA

psychology

English

care

childcare and development

art and design

people and society

Social Services Children and Young People FA

Skills for Work Health and Social care

Organisations making a difference

Discover some of the organisations within social care and how they’re making an impact on the industry.

NHS Scotland logo.

NHS Scotland

Explore career opportunities within the NHS throughout Scotland. 

Visit NHS Scotland
NHS logo.

Health careers NHS

Find out what it's like working in social care.

Visit health careers NHS
Scottish Social Services Council logo.

Scottish Social Services Council

The Scottish Social Services Council will help you choose a pathway and learn more about the life-changing work available. 

Visit Scottish Social Services Council
Adult Social Care logo.

Adult Social Care

Adult Social Care supports care workers across Scotland. They have valuable resources and case studies that can help, whether you’re in a job or looking for one.

Visit Adult Social Care