New job opportunities are being created in County Durham’s adult social care sector as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic.
An online recruitment and training programme has been launched by the County Durham Care Academy in response to the pressures placed on the sector by COVID-19.
There are three key roles, including care workers, kitchen assistants and domestic assistants being recruited as part of the campaign.
The academy, which was set up by Durham County Council, is also offering remote training and development to provide potential new staff with the skills they will need to access opportunities in the sector.
These are available to anyone wishing to work in adult social care, including those without prior experience.
Job opportunities, online training modules and an online application form can be accessed on the Care Academy website www.durham.gov.uk/careacademy
The academy will then be able to match candidates’ skills against a range of potential vacancies, both within the county council and the county’s independent sector providers, once the online form has been completed.
There are more than 100 independent sector care providers in County Durham, supporting adults with social and physical activities including household tasks, personal care and attending appointments.
Cllr Lucy Hovvels MBE, Cabinet member for adult and health services, said: “Social care is the second largest employer in County Durham and it is vital that we work closely with our providers to ensure that they are supported effectively, especially during the extreme challenges that are arising because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are already being proactive in finding out what gaps there are in the workforce and they’re being addressed by this campaign from our care academy. These online training courses and advice will be extremely valuable in allowing us to improve care across County Durham in these uncertain times.
“I would also encourage people who aren’t currently working in the care sector to consider upskilling and applying for one of these roles. Some people may be feeling a lack of security in their current role because of the impact of Coronavirus, or would like to support the care sector at this time, and they could find these courses and roles very rewarding.”
For more details on each of the three roles and their requirements, you can also visit www.durham.gov.uk/careacademyrecruitment