Everyone working in social care needs English, number, digital and employability skills including team work and problem solving skills. What core skills do I need to work in social care outlines some of the skills you need and has short activities to help you think about transferable skills from your previous experiences.

There are also some specific skills needed to work in this role. These include:

• some awareness of the issues faced by people who need care and support such as older or disabled people
• a skill in carpentry, plumbing, decorating or electrical repairs
• knowledge of health and safety
• good number skills. 
  
  

You don’t necessarily need any qualifications to become an entry level maintenance worker but it might be useful to have previous experience in a similar role or a qualification in one aspect of maintenance such as plumbing or gardening. It might also be useful to have experience in a social care and health setting.

Your employer might ask that you have qualifications showing good English and number skills such as GCSE A-C in English and maths.

It’s also really important that you have the right values and behaviours to work in social care.

If you’re interested in working as a maintenance worker, there’s lots of advice about finding a role on the Starting your career page. You could look online or in your local newspaper to find vacancies, or you might want to contact local care providers to ask them directly.

You could also apply to do an apprenticeship in maintenance. You can find out more about hospitality apprenticeships from the National Apprenticeship Service, including a link to live vacancies.

When you start in your role you should do an induction which includes training necessary for your role such as health and safety and first aid. You might also receive specific social care training such as autism awareness, communication skills or working with people with dementia.

When in your role you could do additional training or a qualification in specific aspects of maintenance such as plumbing, gardening or decorating.  

Your employer might pay for you to do these qualifications, or you could apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to pay for them yourself.

There may be opportunities to progress into more senior maintenance roles, or you might choose to go into other social care roles such as a care worker, senior care worker, rehabilitation worker or a personal assistant. Read more on the Job roles in social care page.