Becoming a care assistant

johnny b

Hi there. I'm looking for advise or information on possibly becoming a care assistant in some capacity and have a few initial questions. Current working in full time customer support and needing a change. I have an honours degree in an unrelated field and am a 33yr old male so if these elements have any pros or cons to this please let me know also.

1. Do I only need to complete a QQI / Fetac level 5 or is more required?
   
2. How long does it take to complete the above and are there various ways to do it i.e. can I do it while I work in my current 9-5 job or will I need to leave?
   
3. I see lots of colleges and institutions offering training for the average 1.5-2k fee. Are these the only options or is there more?
   
4. Can you only do the QQI/Fetac course paid of your own accord before the possibility of employment or do some private care jobs offer a job and trainng as you work to some degree? If so are these rare offers?
   
5. What employment options are there with this? Can I only work in a Nursing home with the elderly or are there other types of care assistant jobs available with the above qualifications? If so what kinds?

Thanks in advance for any info, suggestions or link you can provide.

WildRosie

1. That qualification is all you need to work as a care assistant but you will you also need manual handling training but this should be included in the training.

2. You can do the course full or part time. Full time is usually one academic year. Part time is about the same and usually structured on a module by module basis. You should be able to find a provider where you can do the course in the evenings/weekends however you will need to organise 2-4 weeks of work experience in a nursing home/hospital.

3. The VECs/FAS also offer the course for a couple of hundred euro but these are all full time I believe.

4. Yes some of the homecare providers offer the opportunity to train as you work and deduct the cost from your wages. It seems to be widely available in these companies.

5. Loads of employment options, nursing homes, public and private hospitals, homecare, residential care, intellectual disabilities, paediatrics, nursing agencies. I've worked in most of these, be wary of home care agencies, the hours/pay tend to be poor, you're not paid for time spent travelling between calls and can end up being paid for a lot less time than you actually spend working, don't think they do premium pay for Sunday etc. Look at public hospitals as a first choice, better pay and more interesting (IMO) and if you ever want to consider going on to do nursing the option of sponsorship is there after two years.

johnny b

Thanks for the information and recommendations!