Care home provider supports new, tougher apprenticeships

Following the launch of a new type of high-quality apprenticeship scheme by the prime minister, major care provider Barchester Healthcare is proud to announce that it is committed to apprenticeships in the care industry.

At the Oxford launch of the scheme, which promises a new type of high-quality apprenticeship with apprentices being awarded different grades according to ability, Prime Minister David Cameron unveiled the plans for tougher apprenticeships across a variety of industry sectors, including care providers.

As one of the 60 companies that have already signed up for the new scheme that starts next year, Barchester was represented at the launch by Tony Andrews, General Manager at Barchester's Middletown Grange care home in Oxford, along with Jessica Bowell, an apprentice carer.

Mr Andrews said: “The general feeling is that apprentices are definitely the way forward, especially those that are of school-leaving age. Joining an organisation like Barchester offers young apprentices great additional learning opportunities to develop and carve out a career in the care industry.”

Commenting on her apprenticeship, 17-year-old Ms Bowell, said: "I had a few jobs before joining Barchester. I really enjoy this job as I can see how I can make a difference to residents' wellbeing. I've grown up with a family member who has a disability and have found that this has provided an insight into interacting with individuals with different levels of care needs”

Paul Middleton, head of vocational qualifications at Barchester added: “It was great that Tony and Jessica were able to attend and showcase our award-winning apprenticeship programme, which is part of Barchester's in-house business school that's committed to learning and development.”

The new apprenticeships, which will run in parallel with existing schemes, have been brought in as a response to the Richard Review last year, an independent report produced by entrepreneur and educator Doug Richard, which called for the status and quality of apprenticeships to be much more clearly defined.

On the new scheme, apprenticeships will be graded as either pass, merit or distinction, giving a clearer impression of their level of achievement, rather than the simple pass or fail of the older type. The new apprenticeships will be based on "rigorous independent assessment", with at least two thirds of the assessment taking place at the end of the training.