7 jobs in the social care sector looking for applicants in south west Wales right now – and they might not be what you think

The social care sector offers a wide variety of jobs where applicants are currently in-demand across Wales, and some of them are more surprising than you might think.

Over 76,600 people currently work in social care roles in Wales, which represents 6% of the total workforce.¹

The sector is seeing a constant increase in opportunities due to more people needing care within our communities, and on average, there are around 5,800 social care job vacancies in Wales posted online each month.²

In south west Wales, there are currently 8,466 people employed in social care roles.³ There are an average 345 annual job openings within the sector.⁴  

Some of these postings may not be the typical jobs that people think of within social care, and include the roles detailed below.

1. Youth worker

Youth workers support the personal and social development of young people, helping to fulfil their potential. They provide information, advice and support, and promote development through social and leisure activities. With a typical starting salary of £19,000, it can go up to around £40,000 with an average of 40 hours per week. There were 132 new postings of youth worker roles in Wales in the last 30 days.⁵

2. Counsellor

As a counsellor, you can help people to explore difficulties, distress or a loss of direction in their lives. This job is suitable for people who are calm, have excellent communication skills and an interest in the way people think and act. There were 130⁶ new counsellor job listings in Wales over the past month, and salaries are typically between £22,000 and £26,500.

3. Probation officer

People in these jobs work with criminal offenders to encourage them to lead a law-abiding life. They supervise them before their trial, during a prison or community sentence and after their release. Probation officers can earn up to £36,000 with experience, and the job can be an excellent choice with people who are able to be assertive and express themselves confidently, with good interpersonal skills.

4. Ambulance care assistant

Ambulance care assistants deal with the routine, non-emergency transports of patients to and from hospital. Applicants must have a full driving license, and the role would suit people who are friendly, caring, patient, with a strong sense of responsibility. Hours of work for these jobs are typically between 8am and 6pm.

5. Housing officer

If you become a housing officer, you would plan housing provision in a particular area. This includes allocating housing, assessing fair rent and supervising staff. Over the last 30 days, there have been over 390⁷ job postings advertised in Wales. Whilst you often need a related qualification and membership to the Chartered Institute of Housing, there are ‘earn as you learn’ routes to study for a foundation degree whilst working. If you want to pursue this career, developing communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills would be useful.

6. Social workers and social work assistants

As one of the more well-known roles within the sector, social workers play an important role in supporting children and families through difficult times and safeguarding vulnerable people from harm. Work can include shifts and night work, with salaries starting at £24,000 and rising up to £40,000. To qualify as a social worker in Wales, you must complete a course approved by Social Care Wales, which will involve academic and practical learning. Social workers have consistently been in demand, with the last month alone showing over 530⁸ job postings.

7. Care workers

As one of the most in-demand jobs in Wales, caring jobs can range between a starting care assistant, up to care home managers. Helping to look after people who cannot manage day-to-day tasks on their own, care workers are typically very compassionate, patient and tactful with the ability to talk and listen to people from all backgrounds. 

Mandy Ifans, head of employment advice at Working Wales, said: “Working in social care can be one of the most rewarding careers out there.

“Social care employers are looking for people with a positive attitude and empathy, as well as transferable skills such as communication, planning and teamwork.

“There are many different options at all levels for people to explore within the sector.

“Entry-level roles range from those offering paid work whilst studying for a qualification, through to ideal starting points for university graduates. There are opportunities for experienced career changers and roles that are simply asking for people with the right personality.

“I would encourage anyone who is looking for work, or considering a career change into the social care sector, to get in touch and book an appointment with a careers adviser.

“They’ll be able to discuss your options with you and look at next steps.” 

To find out more or to see if working in social care could be for you visit the Working Wales social care page, call 0800 028 4844 or use the live chat on the website. You can also join our live social care jobs Twitter event at @WorkingWales on 21 February 2pm – 4pm, where you can discover some of the vacancies available across Wales.