Empowering the future of social care in north west London
The north west London adult social care sector faces significant recruitment challenges, evidenced by a 13.5% vacancy rate for care and support workers. Our existing workforce, however, possesses an invaluable average of 7.2 years of experience, representing a deep well of expertise. By strategically valuing and actively promoting this extensive work experience, we can create compelling pathways for new talent, transforming seasoned professionals into powerful recruitment assets. This approach is vital for building a more attractive and sustainable social care workforce in our region.
Work Experience PLUS! Discover your future in social care
A 10-day journey for young adults aged 18-25
North west London Work Experience PLUS! is a transformative 10-day programme designed for young adults aged 18‒25 who are curious about careers in social care. This program allows you to combine classroom learning, practical skills, and real-world work experience.
About the programme
Our structured 10-day certificated program is designed to fully prepare learners for a valuable placement:
- Academy phase (7 Days): Develop essential skills through interactive sessions, simulations, and mandatory e-learning, for example health & safety, safeguarding, information governance, manual handling.
- Placement phase (2 Days): Experience real-world work in an adult social care setting. Observe professionals, support activities, and develop practical skills under supervision.
- Review phase (1 Day): Reflect on your learning, present your experience, and receive feedback. Receive your official certificate of completion.
Learners arrive ready, confident, and informed, thanks to eight days of structured Academy preparation which includes induction and expectations, core workplace skills, face-to-face simulation, and mandatory e-learning modules.
What you"ll gain
This programme is designed to equip you with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue a career in social care:
- Real experience: Discover firsthand what it"s like to work in adult social care, interact with service users, and support care professionals.
- Stronger skills: Develop communication, teamwork, problem-solving, resilience, and emotional intelligence—skills employers value.
- Safety knowledge: Learn about health & safety, safeguarding, infection control, and professional behaviour in care settings.
- Official certificate: Receive a formal certificate of completion to enhance your CV and future applications.
- Career exploration: Explore whether social care is the right path for you before committing to further study.
- Networking: Meet professionals, tutors, and fellow learners. Build connections that may lead to future opportunities.
- Confidence huilding: Gain confidence in a professional environment and develop self- awareness about your strengths.
- Employability skills: Develop the soft skills that employers look for: reliability, respect, communication, and teamwork.
Who should apply?
This programme is ideal for you if you are aged 18 to 25 and are NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). We are looking for individuals who:
- Are curious: You want to explore careers in social care and learn about the sector firsthand.
- Are reliable: You're punctual, committed, and ready to engage fully in the programme.
- Are respectful: You value dignity, confidentiality, and treat all individuals with respect.
- Are resilient: You're willing to learn, ask questions, and reflect on your experiences.
Get involved
For social care providers: Are you a social care [rovider and willing to offer a 2-day placement?
We are actively seeking social care providers to partner with us in offering invaluable 2-day work placements. This is a fantastic opportunity to shape the next generation of care professionals, identify potential future employees, and contribute to building a sustainable workforce in north west London. Collaborate with us at no cost and help us empower young adults to discover their potential in social care.
Benefits for your organisation include:
- help you attract local talent
- strengthen your future workforce pipeline
- support CQC ratings
- develop your team mentoring experience and leadership skills
- test before you hire and see learners’ values and behaviors in practice before offering roles
- delivered at no cost to you, including DBS.
If you are an employer and wish to collaborate with us, please contact giovanna.rotundi@nhs.net
For candidates: Join north west London Work Experience PLUS! and discover your potential in social care.
If you are a candidate interested in the Work Experience PLUS! program, please complete the following form: Candidate MS Form
Contact us
For any inquiries, please contact: giovanna.rotundi@nhs.net
At Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust, we’re proud to offer work experience placements, providing unique opportunities for mentees to gain an insight into community healthcare professions in the NHS. We want to support young people and adult learners to explore career choices in healthcare and help build the knowledge and skill sets of our future NHS workforce. Anyone aged 14+ can apply for work experience with us. To be eligible for a placement, mentee’s must be living, or studying, in the boroughs in which CLCH services are delivered. Most of our applicants are young people who are seeking work experience to shadow professionals and get a feel for the working world as part of their development at school or college. We also welcome people who are further into their education or career journeys and are curious about a future career in the NHS.
Contact: clcht.workexperience@nhs.net
Website: https://clch.nhs.uk/get-involved/work-experience-and-schools-engagement
We realise how important work experience is in supporting you to make decisions about your future career but recognise that face to face opportunities are in high demand. With this in mind we are able to share details of virtual work experience programmes and opportunities here:
We are committed to providing work experience to students in year 10 – 13 living or studying in the boroughs of Brent, Ealing and Harrow. We want to support our local community and promote our Trust as a local employer we will be offering face to face work experience to students living in Harrow, Ealing & Brent. Work experience provides an opportunity for students to consolidate work based learning skills and help them to make informed career choices. As well as offering a high quality positive opportunity to contribute to the local community.
Placements for students will differ in each ward, department or area of placement. The main aim of work shadowing (for clinical placements) will be confined to observation only. Since Feb 2023 our Trust has hosted approximately 180 students who have carried work experience in various departments across all 3 of our hospitals.
The work experience programme is a 5 day programme which is structured as such,
Students are places in their assigned wards/ departments where they will carry out their in person work experience,
- Monday – Induction (half day)
- Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (On these 3 days the students will be working on the wards job shadowing and learning from Healthcare professionals)
- Friday – Reflection & Feedback Session (half day)
To find out more:
Contact: LNWH-tr.workexperience@nhs.net
Website: Work experience | LNWH
We realise how important work experience is in supporting you to make decisions about your future career but recognise that face to face opportunities are in high demand. With this in mind we are able to share details of virtual work experience programmes and opportunities here:
At West London NHS Trust we offer work-based learning programmes in nursing, medicine (psychiatry), allied health professions (AHP), and psychology. Our aim is to give a helping hand to those within our local community who want to learn more about the NHS.
Work experience placements are an opportunity for the Trust to showcase our fantastic work and inspire young people to consider a career in the NHS, and in particular, at West London NHS Trust.
To find out more, visit our website: Work experience programme :: West London NHS Trust