Academy aims to tackle recruitment challenge

ENCORE Care Homes has launched its new healthcare training academy to solve the challenge of recruiting staff in the care sector.

opportunities for progression and personal development.

a pan seared cod loin, crushed baby potatoes and spinach with charred asparagus, chorizo and caper butter for the main course and finished with a dessert of dark chocolate ganache, clotted cream, seasonal pickled fruit and chocolate soil.

All the judges agreed Paul’s menu contained the perfect balance of traditional comfort and culinary excellence

Rob Martin, who presented Paul with his award, said: “A huge well done to Paul. This year’s competition was fierce, so it says a lot about Paul’s menu and skills that he was able to deliver such an excellent set of dishes against the clock and against so many other great chefs.

“While all our homes provide fantastic quality cooking with high quality ingredients, our most important aim is to ensure our food is made with our residents’ wants and needs in mind, mitigating food waste and educating and inspiring colleagues to support and promote sustainable options.

“Paul’s delicious dishes very much achieved this aim and I’ve no doubt all the residents of Anchor’s Buckingham Lodge will be celebrating his win too.”

Encore Care Academy was borne from the core principle to provide everyone with the opportunity and facilities to improve their skills, careers, earning capability, and selfworth. It presents a distinct career pathway that defines a job in care as a real and profitable career choice. Its structured learning paths allow individuals to develop their skill set and gain additional qualifications.

The Care Academy supports learning and development and presents its members with the route to progress and achieve a competitive salary in a meaningful role.

Managing director Mikkel Togsverd said: “Care is often thought of as an industry where you cannot progress.

“However, if you look at our senior management team, myself included, we have all worked frontline and have worked our way up.

“Our focus is to provide staff with

“This could be following a distinct career pathway in care and working their way up from healthcare assistant to home manager.

“Or they might wish to follow a journey that builds their confidence, knowledge, and proficiency; supporting them to become the best that they can be in their chosen role.”

Encore Care Academy provides a full induction to equip team members with critical skills development through a blended learning environment, including face-toface training sessions, workshops, e-learning and supported on-the-job mentoring.

The innovative learning and development training programme at Encore Care Homes currently has 36 staff members enrolled in apprenticeships, including Level 2 Adult Care Worker, Level 3 Lead Adult Care Worker and Level 4 Lead Practitioner in Adult Care Apprenticeships.