Whether you’re looking for a career change or are leaving college or school and thinking about a future in health and social care, there are several reasons to consider becoming a healthcare assistant. As a HCA you will typically be employed by a care home, GP surgery, or hospital to provide support on the frontline of healthcare delivery either in a care setting or in the community. We’ve pulled together a few of the top reasons why care could be the next steppingstone in your career.
No experience? No problem!
With most healthcare assistant roles, experience isn’t always necessary to get started as any reputable care provider will deliver full training. With Active Care Group, as long as you have a willingness to learn and compassion for others, all required training will be given to you during your initial induction and throughout the job. Transferable skills such as being a good communicator, being a parent, a babysitter or caring for family members are all examples of the key entry skills that can be taken into a healthcare assistant role. Being a successful healthcare assistant is more about you, your values, and the qualities you possess than your experience.
You can truly make a difference in people’s lives
Whilst stacking shelves, pouring coffee and serving customers can be fast and effective ways to make a living, in terms of job gratification, being a healthcare assistant is unmatched. It is far more than just a job and is incredibly rewarding. For many of our healthcare assistants, the sense of personal achievement comes from making a difference in people’s lives every single day. Our healthcare assistants remark how watching a former resident walk out the door to rebuild their new lives after they have helped them achieve their goals is one of the many moving moments you can experience.
There’s plenty of progression
For an entry role that requires little to no experience, a healthcare assistant can go right to the top of the social care sector in terms of career progression. With the training and transferable skills learned on the job coupled with experience you could take on a senior manager role, train other healthcare assistants, or if you prefer a certain aspect in the world of social care, such as physiotherapy or neuro-rehab, you can embark on a new career pathway tailored to your goals. There is something for everyone within healthcare, and the possibilities are practically endless.
Be a part of something bigger
It’s no secret that there is huge demand for healthcare assistants and other care professionals right now as almost every care setting is experiencing shortages of staff. The combination of an aging population and the increase in the number of people with disabilities or complex needs means that in just the next three years, a further 1 million carers will be needed to support people across the UK.
Becoming a healthcare assistant means that not only are you making a difference to the lives of the people you support directly, but you are also supporting a better-quality future for all. You really can make a difference now more than ever. To take a look at our current roles that we can offer, visit our careers page here.
