The low number of Islanders currently taking part in care apprenticeships has been described as a potential area for concern by the Island’s Economic Development Minister.
Addressing members of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny panel yesterday, Deputy Kirsten Morel said that there were less than five people enrolled in care apprenticeships in Jersey in the period from September 2024 to 2025.
The figure is a marked drop from 15 care apprentices in Jersey between 2023-2024 and 14 the year prior, the minister explained.
This, he said, was “possibly concerning”, given that Jersey’s aging population means the sector is “going to be in greater demand in the next twenty years”.
While he said that he “would hope that number is a one-year blip”, the minister reasoned that the lower number of apprentices may also be a sign that the sector was sufficiently staffed and does not need to take on individuals in need of training.
Another reason, he said, could be because care businesses find it easier to employ fully qualified carers from overseas with work permits, rather than train locally from scratch.
Thirdly, Deputy Morel said the low numbers could indicate that the care sector is less attractive for young people to enter into.
He told the panel that more research would be needed to identify if there is any one root cause.
Recruitment challenges within the care sector have been an ongoing challenge for the Island.
In 2021, the government invested more than £620,000 with an aim of recruiting 100 new staff into the local home care sector and fund their salaries during their training – but the campaign fell short of its target, with 33 new staff being recruited and 55 staff being upskilled.
In 2023, the Jersey Care Federation said it had “grave concerns” about the sector’s health and relationship with the then-government, and requested vital financial support to recruit a steady flow of overseas workers to shore up vacancies.
