WorldSkills UK Caring Competitions
What are caring competitions?
We are committed to improving the public perception of the social care sector and to raising the status of those working within it. The Skills Academy is working in partnership with WorldSkills UK to deliver a series of caring competitions. The competitions will test the skills of young people working in the sector and encourage them to deliver at world class level.
Who are WorldSkills UK?
WorldSkills UK is the name for the UK’s premier set of skills competitions for young people and adults, which run both regionally and nationally each year in the UK. WorldSkills UK is led by UK Skills, a not-for profit organisation that champions vocational skills and learning for work through competitions and awards.
What is the Skills Academy doing?
The National Skills Academy for Social Care is delighted to be hosting the first of an annual series of caring competitions, run in association with WorldSkills UK.
Working together with employers and training providers, the caring competitions will:
- Provide a showcase for high quality care and act as a role model for excellence in social care practice
- Demonstrate to the public the broad variety skills involved in social care
- Raise the profile and visibility of social care alongside other occupations
- Excite young people about the opportunities available to them within social care and raise the status and visibility of social care as a career choice for young people
We are seeking exceptional individuals who can demonstrate excellent skills, knowledge and empathy in the delivery of social care. The highest scoring competitors across all heats that meet the required standard will be invited to compete at a UK final in London in June.
To be eligible to enter, competitors must be over the age of 16 and will possess the equivalent of 2-7 years experience in either training or employment, within the adult social care sector, or the equivalent of a relevant level 3 qualification.
Outstanding WorldSkills UK competition finalists may be considered for potential inclusion in a shortlist for the team that goes on to represent the UK at a WorldSkills international competition.
Our progress so far
The Skills Academy has been working hard behind the scenes to get the scheme off the ground. We have:
- Established a strong working partnership with WorldSkills UK which is thriving.
- Established an external reference group to support the aims of the project.
- A caring competition and marking scheme designed by a working group of sector experts
- Selected three colleges to host the competitions as follows:
- Leicester College on 10-11 March
- St Helen’s College on 7-8 April
- Telford College of Arts and Technology on 11-12 May
What's next?
The caring competition brief can be found at Worldskills UK.
If you are interested in nominating someone for the competition, finding out more or are interested in hosting the next round of competitions, please get in touch with Emily Bari at Emily.bari@nsasocialcare.co.uk