Careers in Health and Social Care: Where Can Your Degree Take You?
By Bethan Jones (Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care)
Health and social care is a broad field encompassing various topics and professions. Its extensive scope offers numerous job opportunities, but where can a health and social care career take you? (Prospects, 2023). With a vast number of students embarking on the degree programme, with it attracting a significant number of applications and acceptances from black applicants, mature students, and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds (UCAS, 2020). The broad nature of this degree, which encompasses various aspects of the industry allows you to develop the knowledge needed to explore the diverse range of career opportunities.
According to Prospects (2023), the typical roles for individuals pursuing a health degree include care workers and home carers (15%), welfare and housing associate professionals (7%), nursing auxiliaries and assistants (7%), senior care workers (5%), educational support assistants (3%), and managers and proprietors of residential, day, and domiciliary care (3%), as well as youth and community workers (2%).
Graduates commonly find employment in the public sector with various organisations, including the NHS, local authorities such as education departments and social services, and schools and colleges. Opportunities exist in the voluntary sector, medical charities, and not-for-profit organisations (Prospects, 2023)
Graduate outcomes
|
Destination
|
Percentage
|
|
Employed
|
58.7
|
|
Further study
|
8.4
|
|
Working and studying
|
11
|
|
Unemployed
|
8
|
|
Other
|
14
|
Figure 1: Graduate destinations for health studies (Adopted from Prospects, 2023)
|
Type
|
Percentage
|
|
Childcare, health and education
|
33.9
|
|
Legal, social and welfare
|
16.4
|
|
Clerical, secretarial and administrative
|
7.3
|
|
Education
|
5.9
|
|
Other
|
36.5
|
Figure 2: Types of work entered in the UK (Prospects, 2023)
The demand for professionals in the health and social care sector is consistently high. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) (2023) stated that among approximately 1,900 adult social work providers in England, over half (54%) faced challenges in recruiting new staff, while 31% reported difficulties in retaining them. Supported living services and extra care housing services experienced the most significant recruitment challenges. This highlights the need for upskilling. Moreover, several adult social care services reported challenges in recruiting new staff to fill vacancies. They highlighted low wages, high stress, and employee burnout as primary reasons many care workers leave for better-paying positions in less demanding settings (CQC, 2023).
Health and social care is a diverse degree that broadens your skill set for many industries beyond the care sector. It prepares you for roles in community services, education, advocacy, management, and leadership positions. Other career options include human resources (HR), research, and counselling. Earning a degree is the initial step toward acquiring essential industry knowledge, and when combined with transferable skills and work experience, it can prepare you for your ideal career. Mitchell-Wren & Brown (2022) explored the importance of transferable skills in health and social care and how these can be adapted to accommodate a range of roles in many different industries. They proposed that skills can be obtained in any sector and applied to another. Skills such as verbal communication, active listening, adaptability, resilience, and the ability to work under pressure can be developed as a shop assistant and utilised in a healthcare role. As a former cabin crew member, you have valuable skills that can translate well into a nursery role. These include safety and first aid expertise, problem-solving abilities, empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence (Mitchell-Wren & Brown, 2022).
If you don’t have experience in the desired role, volunteering or work experience is a great way to increase this. You can volunteer directly with the NHS, where opportunities are available on NHS trust websites. Additionally, you can volunteer with numerous charities and organisations in social and healthcare sectors (NHS, 2015). In-depth research indicates that volunteering offers numerous advantages for the beneficiaries and the volunteers. The beneficiaries feel a sense of increased self-esteem, improved disease management and acceptance, improved mental health and improved relationships with healthcare professionals (Casiday et al 2008; Department of Health 2011; cited in Mundle et al., 2012). Several studies, including those that attempted to control for confounding variables to establish causality, indicated that volunteering had significant positive impacts on participants' health and well-being (Mundle et al., 2012) Volunteering was recognized for fostering roles and social connections that enhance social integration and wellbeing, while also boosting self-esteem, life skills, and social engagement (Farrell and Bryant 2009). Additionally, volunteering was noted for its ability to develop skills, forge connections and networks, prevent boredom, promote fitness and health, cultivate new friendships, enhance self-worth, and contribute to a stronger sense of community (Brodie et al., 2011). Overall, Volunteering offers a valuable opportunity to assist those in need while contributing to society. Simultaneously, it provides excellent chances to acquire new skills, knowledge, experiences, and connections that can improve your current career or pave the way for a new one (Royal College of Nursing, 2025).
To conclude, earning a degree in health and social care paves the way for a wide range of career opportunities in public, private, and voluntary sectors. The growing need for qualified professionals underscores the significance of this field in meeting societal needs. Graduates gain transferable skills that enhance their employability in various roles outside traditional care positions. Engaging in volunteering and work experiences proves effective in building skills and boosting confidence, empowering individuals to pursue their career aspirations. As the health and social care landscape continues to develop, this degree not only serves as a gateway to rewarding careers but also plays a crucial role in improving communities and individual wellness.
References:
Brodie E, Hughes T, Jochum V, Miller C, Ockenden N, Warburton D (2011). Pathways Through Participation: What creates and sustains active citizenship? Summary report. London: Pathways through Participation. [Accessed 28th Feb 2025]
Care Quality Commission (2023). The health and care workforce. [online] www.cqc.org.uk. Available at: https://www.cqc.org.uk/publications/major-report/state-care/2022-2023/workforce. [Accessed 26th Feb 2025]
Casiday R, Kinsman E, Fisher C, Bambra C (2008). Volunteering and Health: What impact does it really have? Report to Volunteering England. London: Volunteering England. [Accessed 27th Feb 2025]
Department of Health (2011). Opportunities for Volunteering: Legacy report: 30 years of funding volunteering in health and social care. London: Department of Health. [Accessed 28th Feb 2025]
Farrell C, Bryant W (2009). ‘Voluntary work for adults with mental health problems: a route to inclusion? A review of the literature’. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, vol 72, no 4, pp 163–73 [Accessed 28th Feb 2025]
Learndirect (2023). Where Could a Health and Social Care Degree Take You? | learndirect. [online] Learndirect.com. Available at: https://www.learndirect.com/blog/where-could-a-health-and-social-care-degree-take-you. [Accessed 27th Feb 2025]
Mitchell-Wren, T. and Brown, L. (2022). What transferable skills are essential in the health and care sector? [online] cachealumni.org.uk. Available at: What transferable skills are essential in the health and care sector? [Accessed 26 Feb. 2025].
Mundle, C., Naylor, C. and Buck, D., 2012. Volunteering in health and care in England. A summary of key literature. London: The King's Fund. [Accessed 28th Feb 2025]
NHS (2015). Identifying transferable skills. [online] Health Careers. Available at: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/career-planning/identifying-transferable-skills [Accessed 28 Feb. 2025].
Prospects.ac.uk. (2023). What can I do with a health studies degree? | Prospects.ac.uk. [online] Available at: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/health-studies. [Accessed 28th Feb 2025]
The Royal College of Nursing. (2025). Volunteering to gain transferable skills | Royal College of Nursing. [online] Available at: https://www.rcn.org.uk/professional-development/your-career/volunteering. [Accessed 27th Feb 2025]
UCAS (2020). New UCAS insight shows health and social care professions among the most diverse and welcoming – with courses still open for new applications. [online] UCAS. Available at: https://www.ucas.com/corporate/news-and-key-documents/news/new-ucas-insight-shows-health-and-social-care-professions-among-most-diverse-and-welcoming-courses [Accessed 26 Feb. 2025].