Skills for Care 2024 graduate opportunities}

• Name: Emily Paine
• Role: Business Development Coordinator
• Joined: 2018

I am grateful that I was given the oppportunity to develop the role as I wanted it, thereby finding

the type of work I want to pursue after the graduate programme.

Description:

I have been working for Future Directions since January 2018 as part of the Skills for Care graduate programme. In my role as Business Development Coordinator, I have been given a well-rounded and exciting experience in an innovative organisation.

From the start, my manager John has made my career development a priority. He has encouraged me to take part in any projects I wish, which has given me the experience and confidence I need to develop in my role. In frontline experience, I spent a week shadowing network managers at the houses, developing a better understanding of our services before leading a project to increase use of assistive technology amongst people we support.

My main role has been in helping people in their transition to move to our services. I find this role incredibly rewarding. In addition to working directly with people we support to help them plan their move, every day offers new and exciting challenges, including meeting with housing developers to plan new services, meeting with social workers to coordinate the move and understand the support needs, and meeting with commissioners to confirm hours and costs.

• Name: Daniel Little
• Role: Graduate Management Programme
• Joined: 2018

Description:

Daniel Little graduated from Skills for Care’s Graduate Management programme in January 2019, and was part of the seventh cohort of ambitious and driven graduates looking for a career in health and social care. He talks about his experience and how you should make the most of the connections you make.

Everyone on the programme will have a unique experience with their cohort, and everyone will be looking for something different. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the other graduates, but now that my placement is over, I can look back at my time and safely say I was not disappointed and valued their company.

They’ve provided many laughs along the way, and I’ve made some strong friendships. It’s a strange relationship only seeing each other once a month, then having to spend all day in a professional setting.

The great thing about the programme is that it attracts so many varied people from all back- grounds and walks of life; there will be someone in your network suited to any mood you’re in and to lift you when you’re feeling down. I urge everyone to forge as many friendships as possible on this programme, because talking to someone else who’s in the same situation has proven to be really helpful.

Leadership and management training will teach you that every connection is an opportunity to make a difference, and there will be fewer professional environments safer than your graduate programme to make these valuable contacts. Make the most of every opportunity, be sure to keep an open mind and who knows where the programme could take you – good luck everyone!