For a considerable period, I have been working under Holistic Care UK and when I heard about the course and that I might be eligible, I quickly applied and was accepted. Career progression, in particular, becoming a Level 3 professional care Worker motivated me to enrol for the course. I want to consider taking on higher education either another Level 3 perhaps Child Care or progression to university. I think it is only reasonable to get a qualification under my belt given the time invested in working in the Health and Social Care field supporting Adults in need of Health and Social Care.

I heard about the Apprenticeship from work colleagues and friends. As mentioned above, qualifications will, inevitably add value to my professional profile and boost my employability. With the huge changes in the Social Sector brought by changes in the Tory government, it does make sense to be as fully qualified in my sector as I can, at the least, meeting the minimum standards of professionalism required in the industry. Apprenticeships are also getting more respected and the curriculum is largely designed in collaboration with employers so this is quite a strong qualification that I should have.

I became more aware of the importance of communication, of being aware of the need to take every step to safeguard the vulnerable, of being aware of person-centred care, of the importance of a reflective approach to the practice and the benefits of using feedback to improve performance at work via supervision practice and peer feedback in a teamwork setting. One to one with the Assessor and group work boosted my professional interactions and networking.

The entire learning experience during the Apprenticeship period has been very helpful. I can now envision starting my own company in the Social Sector. I highly recommend the Apprenticeships in the Health and Social Sector highly.

The work-based design of the Apprenticeship means those of us in employment do not get left behind in higher education. Our careers can still thrive while we work and we can envision starting our own businesses in the sector too. I think these are huge benefits.