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Health and Social Care

Health and Social Care

Welcome to Health and Social Care

The health and social care sector makes up a huge proportion of the jobs market in the UK, with the NHS alone employing 1.5 million people.

Regardless of whether you go into nursing, social work or something else, all of these careers have one thing in common – they’re all incredibly rewarding.

The industry will always require caring, compassionate and knowledgeable professionals so you can be sure that you are learning hugely valuable skills from our expert team who have worked, or still work, in the industry.

That’s why our campuses feature a state-of-the-art emergency care training suite, complete with a mock hospital ward, patient care mannequins and ultrasound machines.

What’s more, our tutors are experts in their professional specialisms, with loads of experience under their belts. Who better to give you advice and guidance on getting into the career you want than someone who has worked in that role?

Health and Social Care

“My Tutor was great, he was really invested in what we were doing. I have now moved onto a Higher Apprenticeship which will help me progress my career to become a band 4 biomedical support worker at St James's Hospital, Leeds.”

Aaron Gledhill, Healthcare Apprentice

Which programme is right for me?

Picking the right programme is the first step in your health and social care career. Whether you choose a full-time study programme and pick your own specialism, head straight into an Apprenticeship, or choose one of our brand new T Levels, we're sure to have something that suits you and your learning style.

T LEVELS

T Levels are a brand-new 2-year qualification which can be studied after you finish school instead of A Levels, Apprenticeships or vocational study programmes.

T Levels have been created with top employers, and mix classroom learning and industry experience so that you get the skills and knowledge to help you progress into your dream career.

From September 2023 we will be offering the following Health & Social Care T Level:

What kind of work will I do on a Health and Social Care Study Programme?

These programmes are ideal for people who are interested in a career in the health and social care sector. This could include caring for elderly people in a care home, working with adults or children with learning disabilities or helping people recover from illness or injury in a hospital or care centre. Our programmes offer an insight into health and social care, and provide the opportunity to develop the skills, qualities, values and experience that will prepare you for further study or employment in this area.

Trips, Visits and Competitions

At The Sheffield College, we know that hands-on experience is vital, not only in helping you to understand theoretical learning but also in terms of making you stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for jobs. That's why all of our health and social care courses have a strong focus on practical experience so that you will feel confident in your abilities when you come to start work.

Our study programmes also have an element of work experience, so you can feel confident that you’re prepared for the working environment once you finish your studies. Having that experience on your CV will make you stand out to potential employers in this competitive industry. You’ll also benefit from the knowledge of industry experts and will have the opportunity to take part in class study visits to enhance your learning.

Work-related Activity and Industry Placements

You will be encouraged to spend time with an employer in a real-life working environment as part of your study programme. This could be experience of work or an industry placement, depending on what kind of course you are studying.

What's in it for me?

  • improve your job prospects and gain knowledge of the workplace in a variety of areas
  • enhance your employability skills such as communication skills, problem-solving, social skills, time management, commitment, enthusiasm, flexibility and teamwork
  • previous experience of work can help you during interviews and it looks impressive on your CV
  • helps you understand what motivates you and what you are passionate about so that you can apply this to your future career

Facilities

Health and social care can be studied at three of our campuses, each of which hosts a range of facilities. These include dedicated classrooms, a mock hospital ward complete with training dummies, ultrasound machines and a state-of-the-art emergency care training suite.

We aim to replicate the working conditions of the health and social care industry as closely as possible so that you can develop the skills you'll need when you come to enter employment. We want you to feel confident in your abilities so that you can jump straight into a job you love.

What can I do once I finish my studies?

We encourage all of our health and social care students to undertake work experience placements as part of their study programme, and our brilliant tutors can offer you help and advice when it comes to arranging a placement.

The health and social care sector is one of the largest employers in the UK, and it doesn't show any signs of slowing down. In fact, there is expected to be an increase of 950 new jobs in this sector by 2028, and that's just in the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority!

 

Health and Social Care Level 2 Diploma

This course is ideal for people who are interested in a career in the health and social care sector. This could include caring for elderly people in a care home, working with adults or children with learning disabilities or helping people recover from illness or injury in a hospital or care centre. The Level 2 Diploma will develop on the knowledge and skills learned at Level 1.

FdSc Professional Practice in Health and Social Care

This flexible course validated by Sheffield Hallam University is a work based learning award which combines health and social care education with either existing employment or work placements to develop your skills and competencies for a wide range of roles across the health, social or community care sectors.  

The course offers two routes, entrants already employed in assistant or support worker roles in health, social or community care can complete both the Higher Apprenticeship in Health (Assistant Practitioner) and the Foundation Degree. The course provides you with your continuing personal and professional development and, depending on our employer, would allow you to undertake a Band 4 Associate/Assistant role.  

Students require a work placement in a health and social care setting prior to enrolment on the course. Guidance can be given to prospective students about doing this. 

Careers advice to help you go further

Choosing a career path when you've only just left school can seem like a daunting prospect, but our Careers Advice Team are on hand to offer you the best impartial careers guidance going. 

They can help you to figure out the kind of jobs that you might enjoy based on your interests, skills and hobbies; or if you already have a pretty good idea of what you'd like to do in the future they can give you some pointers on how to go further and land your dream job. You can talk to them whether you're still deciding on a course or even if you're about to make the jump from education into full-time work. 

Example careers

Ever wondered how much an accountant is South Yorkshire earns? Or what skills you need to become a developer?

Social Worker

Starting Salary
£32,689.50

Average Salary
£39,016.50

High-end Salary
£44,289

Nurse

Starting Salary
£31,635

Average Salary
£36,907.50

High-end Salary
£44,289

Occupational Therapist

Starting Salary
£25,654

Average Salary
£30,486

High-end Salary
£45,838

What Courses are available

Health and Social Care icon

Health and Social Care

City Campus
Level 2

More info