The Explorer Programmes are suitable for learners who are considering either BTEC or Apprenticeship routes. The purpose is for learners to find out if a career in health and social care is one that will work for them and to plan for the future.
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Entry Requirements, Units, Assessment and more...
Entry Requirements
No prior qualifications required
Assessment Method
Internal and external assesments
Aims of the course
This Explorer Course is designed to encourage students to expand their knowledge and prepare them for further development and progression in the Health and Social Care sector.
Progression Opportunities
Learners who have taken this Explorer Programme could potentially complete the following qualifications and apprenticeships in the sector:
- Apprenticeship
- Adult care worker (completing the Level 2 Diploma in Care)
- Healthcare support worker (completing the Level 2 Diploma in Care)
- Healthcare science assistant (completing the Level 2 Diploma in Healthcare Science)
- Optical assistant (no qualification mandated in the new standard)
- Pharmacy assistant (completing the Level 2 Certificate in Pharmaceutical Science and Level 2 NVQ Certificate)
Qualifications, full-time study:
- Level 2 Technical Certificate in Adult Care
- Level 2 Technical Diploma in Laboratory Science
- BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Health and Social Care
- BTEC Level 3 Nationals in Applied Sciences
Facilities
Virtual learning areas and classrooms.
Career Options
Quite apart from adult nursing and social work, there are many different career paths you could follow as the sector includes both health and social care and children's services. For example, you could work in a residence for people who need support with personal care. But instead of being a care and support worker, you could be an activity coordinator, helping people to join in with lots of different activities. You could also be a portage worker, supporting the parents of pre-school children with special education needs, to provide a stimulating environment in the home.
Here are a few more suggestions that you could think about:
- Domiciliary carer, eg providing care in someone's own home
- Nurse, eg caring for children, people with learning disability, people with mental health issues or community nursing
- Occupational therapy assistant, eg going into people's homes to assess how to make daily living easier for them to manage, such as by lowering the kitchen sink so that people can do their own washing-up instead of depending on others; or visiting the home of a child with physical disabilities to assess where improvements could be made to their ability to move around the house independently
- Family support worker, eg supporting families who are struggling to cope
