A BRILLIANT OPPORTUNITY: GETTING TO KNOW WHO CARES!

I had a really good meeting with Sharon Pressley from Progressive Care today. Sharon is passionate about the care sector and the opportunities for young people in the sector, which is a huge employer in Sheffield. I am delighted that Sharon is working with us to develop the new 'Made in Sheffield' Care Ambassador programme, which will start in September.

The care sector is growing and, in Sheffield like everywhere else, it offers a range of rewarding careers, with many different job roles, and lots of opportunities for progression. The sector currently employs 1.5 million people in England, and by 2025, it is estimated that another 1 million workers will be needed to meet the growing demands for care. Many people have a negative perception of what it’s like to work in care and are unaware of the diverse range of career opportunities, so we believe that the Cutlers Made in Sheffield Care Ambassadors, working with colleagues like Sharon, who are passionate about the sector, will come to better understand what care entails, the skills you need to be successful in this critically important area and the careers and opportunities there are in a career in care. The Cutlers Made in Sheffield Care Ambassadors will have the opportunity to work with practitioners in a variety of settings, visit settings and hear about the experiences of those working in care and being able to ask them questions. We believe that this will provide a fantastic opportunity for those young people who are interested in careers in the sector and give the colleagues working in the sector the opportunity to work with and develop relationships with a group of young people who could be the care professionals of the future! We are looking forward to developing this exciting additional element of the Cutlers' Made in Sheffield programme.