Shropshire care company future proofs success with apprentices
A Shropshire care company is future-proofing the success of its organisation by investing in young talent.
Coverage Care Services has run its apprenticeship programme successfully for many years and has helped train more than 70 apprentices.
Sam Woosnam, HR director, said the scheme had a proven track record of developing new staff with the right skills for a life-long career in care.
She said: “Over the years our apprenticeship programme has enabled us to provide a clear path to long-term employment for young people and, for our organisation, it is a vital recruitment tool, particularly in the current climate.
“It’s no secret that businesses across multiple sectors are facing significant recruitment challenges following Covid and Brexit and unfortunately for us, health and social care is one of the sectors that has been hardest hit.
Paul Bright, recruiter at Coverage Care Services, said: “Attracting new people to the care sector is an ongoing challenge particularly as the jobs market has changed considerably and we just don’t have as big a pool of individuals to recruit from as we once did.
“However, our apprenticeship scheme is a positive way in which we are able to connect and engage with young people who can take advantage of learning on the job and being paid to do so.”
“Taking on fresh, young talent enables us to build a diverse workforce and experience shows us that school leavers are often very keen to learn and develop skills which will enable them to grow within our organisation.
“We certainly have many examples of this amongst the Coverage Care team and we are very proud of our continued commitment to investment in training.”
Mischa Marshall began her career as an apprentice care assistant with Coverage Care Services in 2016 when she was just 19 years old,
She said: “I’d never even stepped foot inside a care home or had much contact with the elderly, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
“I remember my first shift well though. I was asked to assist the care team with a lady who was nearing the age of 101 at the time. Just talking to her and making sure she was comfortable and had everything she needed felt so rewarding. I’ve never looked back since that day.”
Seven years on and Mischa has progressed her career quickly with the support of ongoing training and development and now holds the post of deputy manager at Lightmoor View in Telford.
Sam said: “Mischa is a wonderful example of the ambition that apprentices can bring to an organisation.”
Ruby Ball is among a new group of care assistant apprentices that joined the organisation in 2022. She had previously been studying at college but was finding it hard to fund full-time education so began looking into apprenticeships.
She said: “Before I joined Coverage Care I was at college, but I felt I benefitted from a more hands-on approach to learning. I’m hoping my apprenticeship will mean I can progress with a career in nursing in a care home environment.
“If anyone out there is thinking about applying for an apprenticeship with Coverage Care I’d say go for it. Being a carer is challenging but a really amazing experience.”
Apprentices working at Coverage Care Services get paid significantly higher than the current £4.81 per hour national minimum wage rate with many starting their apprenticeship on a rate of £7 per hour.
Anyone considering an apprenticeship with Coverage Care can contact Paul on 07946 186929 or email pbright@coveragecareservices.co.uk to find out more or arrange a taster session.
Coverage Care Services operates 12 homes across Shropshire and employs in the region of 1,000 people.
