Singapore’s healthcare sector is renowned for its first class medical services, advanced infrastructure, and its relentless drive towards innovation. The Care Economy is one of the fastest growing subsets of the healthcare industry, with a wide range of job opportunities for those seeking a rewarding, people-centred career. With close to 40% of job openings in emerging professions spanning from medicine, nursing, allied professionals and more, it is a sector you should keep your eyes peeled for.

 

Exploring the Care Economy and Demand for Senior Care

The Care Economy is a sector dedicated to providing essential care and support services aimed at nurturing both present and forthcoming generations. Locally, the escalating demand for professionals within the Care Economy is primarily attributed to the ageing demographic of our population.

The Care Economy, specifically senior care in Singapore, covers mainly:

1. Centre-based care services (e.g., elder day care centre)
2. Residential-based care services (e.g., nursing homes)
3. Home-based care services (e.g., home care)

The rising need for the Care Economy opens opportunities for both new-entrants and mid-career switchers to embark on a meaningful career in the Healthcare industry – even without a healthcare background.

 

The In-demand Job Role to Look Out for

On 15 July, we headed down to the Healthcare panel dialogue co-organised  by the Institute of Health Sciences (HMI) and NTUC’s Employment and Employability Institute (e2i) to gain valuable insights on pursuing a career in the Care Economy.

One of the key roles that was highlighted by the panel was the Community Care Associate (CCA). The job – being relatively new in the industry – is an updated, redesigned version of the previous care staff role.

In the past, the care staff role did not require extensive healthcare training. However, the lack of training and clinical skills often limited their ability to adequately care for the elderly.

Noticing both the skills gap and the opportunity for upskilling, training centres such as HMI Institute, curated courses to equip job seekers with the relevant knowledge and clinical skills to provide quality patient care. Now, the Community Care Associate role is quickly becoming sought after for those who are looking to make a difference in community care.

Huda, a panellist, was one of the many who has transitioned into a Community Care Associate role.  The then florist was motivated to make the switch because of the opportunities to grow and scale the ranks. The decision to make the switch proved fruitful as she currently holds the position of Senior Care Associate. Her primary responsibilities include assessing her patient’s well-being and behaviour along with developing customised care plans for the elderly to accomplish during their time with her.

 

What does it Take to Become a Community Care Associate?

While a transition into a different industry might sound exciting, a Community Care Associate’s role is not as simple as just caring for elders.

Panel member Julie, a Senior Manager of Human Resources at St Luke’s home, suggested that anyone who intends to explore a career as a Community Care Associate should ask themselves these questions first, “Can you do? Do you want to do and are you willing to do?”.

Julie highlighted some of the challenges that the role entails including its physical and mental demands along with the need for consistency. As these roles may also require shift work and are a combination of both healthcare and customer service, it can be taxing for many.

Despite these challenges, a large group of people passionately pursue a career as a  Community Care Associate because of its potential to positively impact the lives of patients. Panellist Joel, who also transitioned into community care, emphasised that the sense of achievement and the avenue to give back to society makes the job role highly sought after by many. Joel also opined that, the role, being people-centred, allows one to build meaningful relationships with your clients. Sometimes, Community Care Associates can build bonds with the elderly that rival the strong connections the elderly have with their own family!

 

What Skills do Community Care Associates Need?

As advised by the panellists, some of the most important skills job seekers should possess include technical skills, maintaining good interpersonal relations, effective communication, and soft skills such as customer service and creativity. It is paramount that Community Care Associates foster relationships with their clients to ensure that their lives are improved through their time spent with you.

Many of the transitioned Community Care Associates come from varying working backgrounds. This includes the Food & Beverage Industry and Engineering, with some of them coming from the Yellow Ribbon Project. The key to the switch: identifying your transferable skills. It is important to note how skills gained from your previous experiences can be valuable to the new job role. If you are unsure how to go about this, a career coach via e2i’s complimentary career guidance services can help you.

 

Exploring a Career as a Community Care Associate

If you have a passion for serving the community, a Community Care Associate role might be the right fit for you.

HMI Institute is a healthcare training institute that has been providing Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) courses for more than 10 years, with 65% of its students clinching a job placement after completing programmes. HMI Institute has launched a Skills Future Career Transition Programme (SCTP) to facilitate a seamless switch into the industry. Along with HMI Institute, NTUC LearningHub also offers two SCTP programmes for individuals who aspire to transition into a Healthcare Assistant or Therapy Assistant role.

The programmes provide structured courses for entrants to gain technical clinical skills, opportunities to work in a healthcare setting and offer job placement support. The SCTP in Healthcare programmes available include a Nursing Specialisation, Community Care Associate Specialisation, Emergency Medical Technician Specialisation, Perioperative Specialisation, Healthcare (Operations) and Healthcare (Therapy Support). Students can also tap on subsidies to offset course payments, enjoy up to 90% SkillsFuture subsidy and NTUC Union Members can receive up to 50% subsidy with the UTAP funding.

e2i, a part of the Healthcare Academy, is collaborating with the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU), HMI Institute and NTUC LearningHub for the SCTP courses. Committed to supporting continuous learning for healthcare professionals, e2i facilitates employment opportunities for SCTP students and workers from diverse sectors in the healthcare field through a robust job matching process.

Ready to embark on a new career? Find out more and sign up now https://hmi-ihs.com/sctp-programme/. For more job fairs and workshops, visit e2i’s event page!

If you are still on the fence about kick starting a career in Healthcare, navigate your career goals with e2i’s career coaching. Through our trained coaches, you will discover your career interests, identify your current employability gaps and connect with e2i’s employer network for employment opportunities. Take control of your career journey today!