Article restates social work value - graduate jobs

The Guardian has published an article highlighting graduate opportunities in social care management.

The piece follows last year's launch of the graduate management trainee scheme, backed by the National Skills Academy for Social Care (NSA), which aimed to encourage university leavers into a profession that is professionally and ethically rewarding.

Care services minister Phil Hope told the Guardian: "With the number of people who may need help with day-to-day tasks set to grow, this is a sector that will offer an increasing number of opportunities for those looking for jobs. Workers in social care have a big, positive impact on the people they work with."

The year-long scheme places successful candidates with agencies and organisations including private care homes, local authorities and support groups, giving them the opportunity to learn about the sector from the ground up. They also receive a salary of £20,000.

NSA chief executive Liz McSheehy told the newspaper: "As demands for adult social care services increase, we're going to need highly skilled managers to lead the workforce and the graduate scheme is already attracting the best young minds into the sector."

Employment experts expect the Department of Health to recruit around 200,000 people to the social care sectors over the next few years.