TRAINING & EDUCATION
BUILDING THE FUTURE CARE WORKFORCE
Youth recruitment and apprenticeships are the central solution to the recruitment and retention gap, says Paragon Skills.
Adult social care is facing one of the most significant workforce challenges in its history. Vacancies remain stubbornly high, demand continues to rise, and employers are under increasing pressure to deliver high-quality, compassionate care in a complex operating environment. While there is no single solution to the recruitment and retention gap, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: we cannot build a sustainable future for care without bringing more young people into the sector and supporting them properly once they arrive.
As a training provider, Paragon Skills works closely with care employers across the country, gaining insight into both the opportunities and challenges they face. While youth recruitment is an important part of building a sustainable workforce, it is often approached as a longer-term strategy alongside day- to-day staffing priorities. Similarly, apprenticeships, though highly valuable, can sometimes feel administratively complex, particularly for teams already balancing significant operational demands. In reality, youth recruitment and apprenticeships are not side issues, they are central to future-proofing the care workforce.
CARE AS A CAREER: CHANGING THE CONVERSATION WITH YOUNG PEOPLE
For many young people, adult social care is invisible as a career option. When it is visible, it is too often framed narrowly as low paid, emotionally demanding and lacking progression. These perceptions don’t reflect the reality of modern care, but perception matters.
If we want to attract young people, we need to start by reframing care as a credible, aspirational and values-driven career. Young people consistently tell us they want work that has meaning, purpose and impact. Care offers all three, but we need to tell that story better.
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Employers play a crucial role here. Engagement can’t start at the point of vacancy; it needs to happen earlier, in schools, colleges and communities, helping young people understand what care really involves, the skills it develops, and where it can lead. Real stories, real role models and honest conversations resonate far more than polished job adverts.
What’s outdated is assuming young people will 'find' care on their own. What’s working is proactive engagement, visibility and authenticity.
ENTRY ROUTES AND TALENT PIPELINES: WHERE APPRENTICESHIPS FIT
There are multiple ways young people enter the care sector from entry-level roles and college placements to volunteering and career changes later in life. Apprenticeships sit uniquely within this landscape because they combine paid employment, structured training and recognised progression.
“The question is no longer whether we
can afford to invest in young people. It’s whether we can afford not to.”
At their best, apprenticeships offer young people a supported route into care that builds competence, confidence and commitment over time. They allow employers to shape staff from day one, embedding values, behaviours and quality standards alongside technical skills.
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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