Care UK is piloting an improved work experience opportunity as part of its commitment to the future of the care workforce.

The programme, which is being piloted at the care provider’s Silversprings care home in Thorrington, is aimed at secondary school students aged 14 to 18.

Students can apply for five days work experience in June with Care UK’s care teams, or finance teams. Applications close on Monday 29 April.

Victoria Cole, head of resourcing at Care UK, said: “This new programme has been designed to show students the different types of care we offer, and to highlight how many types of roles are available in a care home. Regardless of their job title, each of our colleagues has the same goal – they work together to provide the best possible care to residents.”

Cole said Care UK would encourage students who take part to give their feedback to ensure the experience is as valuable as possible for all future participants, with a view to expanding the programme across more than 150 homes in England, Scotland and Wales.

Care UK hosted a live call with social mobility charity, Speakers for Schools last Friday 12 April to encourage students to learn more about a career in care. Speakers covered “a day in the life” of a variety of roles, including maintenance, lifestyle, and care. Students were then supported to complete individual and group work experience tasks set by Carl George, one of Care UK’s dementia specialists.

In 2023 Care UK launched an Open Doors initiative with the Careers and Enterprise Company, where secondary schools and colleges are invited to explore behind the scenes of a care home. The provider also runs an Early Careers programme in partnership with Careers and Enterprise Company and Speakers for Schools, which gives an insight to opportunities available in the care sector to all educational settings, including Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) schools and underrepresented community groups.