Page 61 - Regional Employment & Skills Plan

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Difficult Roles to Recruit
The majority of employers engaged with the process stated that they have faced difficulty in recruiting for some roles, these roles as defined by the employers are identified below;
Micro/Small
Home care workers
Nurses
Carers
Senior Carers
Advocacy
Project Management
Medium
Carers
Support Workers
Community support worker
Manager
Large
Software roles Support worker Nurses Managers Doctors Pharmacists Occupational therapists Dentists
GP's
The Work-Readiness of New Entrants to the Sector
Analysis of employer responses suggests that whilst new entrants to the sector are qualified to undertake the role they do not always necessarily possess the soft skills required. There is also some evidence to suggest that young school leavers are not fully aware of what is expected of them within a working environment.
A noted perceived barrier to allowing learners to gain experience in the care sector is that regulations prohibit anyone under 18 from either working or gaining experience in the sector. This is a myth as there is clear guidance set for work placements within care settings within National Minimum Standards and although these vary across different settings they broadly state that those under the age of 18 need to be fully supervised, supernumerary and not undertake support with personal care. Furthermore, there is concern around the appropriateness of provision;
‘Schools and colleges are often not up to speed with developments that are changing the face of care e.g. assistive technology and this affects how care is taught and to whom and how young people are influenced - the hair or care option.’
A number of respondents reported that they only recruit individuals who have already worked in some care setting. This of course means that those who do not hold that valuable experience (such as a new entrant) are immediately excluded.
Numeracy, Literacy and ICT Skills
On the whole the majority of employers which engaged felt that the numeracy and literacy skills of their workforce were fit for purpose, although ICT skills were reported as an issue for some. What is clear from the evidence is that personality and the adaptability of the workforce is more of a consideration in this sector, with effective communication skills being of utmost importance.
Regional Employment & Skills Plan South West & Mid Wales Sector Profiles