Social care
Are you passionate about caring for others? A career in social care might be right for you. You could make a great difference to people's lives through challenging but rewarding work.
The impact you could 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.
- Work in a variety of environments and connect with lots of different people.
The opportunities within social care
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 and improve the care others receive. There are a variety of these jobs including accountants, chefs, software designers and more. Most positions will pay an hourly wage, though some may be salaried.
No matter what role you choose, working in social care changes lives for the better.
Employment
There are 176,500 people currently working in the social care industry in Scotland.*
Job availability
Between 2022 to 2025, a further 18,000 people will be needed to fill job openings.*
Job diversity
There are 6,409 Modern Apprentices in training across sport, health and social care.*
*Sector Skills Assessment 2022
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.
Hayley
Senior Practitioner
Explore social care jobs
We’ve pulled out some of the popular social care jobs for you to explore.
Some things you may not know about social care
One in 13 people in Scotland work in social services. *
Many employers in social care are moving towards value-based recruitment — this means that they are looking for people who hold key values they need. *
83% of people in social care roles work directly with the public. **
*learn.sssc.uk.com
**data.sssc.uk.com
What subjects to take
We’ve pulled together some examples of subjects that could be useful for getting into a career in social care.
- Psychology
- Care
- People and society
- Sociology
- Art and design
- Childcare and development
- FA Social Services Children & Young People
- Skills for work: Health and social care
For most jobs, you might not need specific subjects. If your school does not provide all of these subjects or you're just unsure — do not worry. There are many more subjects you can explore by using the Option Choices tool or speaking to your careers adviser in your school.
What routes you can take
There are different options can choose from after school. We’ve pulled together some of them to help you decide which is best for you.
Social care industry partners
Explore the partners within the social care industry who have lots of resources and information on careers and roles as well as job vacancies.
NHS Scotland
Explore resources which can help you find out about career opportunities in the NHS in Scotland.
Scottish Social Services Council
The Scottish Social Services Council will help you choose a pathway to learn more about the life-changing work available.
Digital World
Many social care organisations need an online home to promote their services or to provide advice. Find out about digital careers by visiting Digital World.
Caretocare supports care workers across Scotland. They have valuable resources that can help you whether you’re in a job or looking to begin one. You can find case studies and more learning resources designed to support you through a career in care.