Balancing on-the-job training with academic learning is challenging enough for any young apprentice but juggling work time with after-hours study can be extra tough for those with caring responsibilities at home.
As we celebrate Carers Week - the annual campaign to raise awareness of unpaid caring in the UK - we look at what employers can do to support young adult carers and how Onefile's learner management system can lighten their load.
Carers Week 2025
Carers Week is running from June 9 to 15 in 2025 and has Caring About Equality as its main theme. According to the 2021 census, there are some 5.8 million people across Britain supporting a loved one who is ill or disabled - and of this number around 3 million are in paid work.
Unpaid carers are seen as the backbone of our society and contribute an enormous £162 billion a year in England and Wales alone - equivalent to a second NHS - says Carers UK.
But, despite their huge economic contribution - against a background of an overburdened UK social care system - many carers feel undervalued. Disruption to their education can mean that caring seriously limits their life chances, including the opportunity to fulfil their employment potential.
School leavers with a parent or sibling to look after at home struggle to take up the educational and career openings available to their schoolfriends. According to Carers UK, young adult carers are 38% less likely to get a university degree than their peers while one in four carers who work have had to take on a lower paid or more junior role.
Tackling inequalities
Carers UK would like to see government, schools, colleges, universities, workplaces and health and social care services act now to tackle these inequalities.
Its research has revealed that 1.9 million employees in Britain become carers every year so, from an employers' perspective, it's an issue all businesses and organisations need to be fully aware of.
Apprenticeships for young unpaid carers
Leaving home for university isn't an option for young carers but people in this situation could still enhance their career prospects through an apprenticeship.
With the right support from their employer and training provider, they can take steps to further their life chances.
As the employer of a caregiver, you'll probably need to make some adjustments such as allowing flexible working where possible. Training providers can also help by giving apprentices with caring commitments more time to finish assignments, for example.
Apprentices, like all employees, have a legal right to seven days' carers leave to give unpaid care to a dependent in any 12-month period. This entitlement begins from the moment the apprentice starts their programme, with time off to be taken in one block or as separate days throughout the year.
Young carers' life skills
Although employing an apprentice with caring responsibilities might well mean changes to work and study patterns, this needn't be a barrier. It is possible to agree upon a solution that works for everyone. Unpaid caring can be isolating but by welcoming a young carer to your team you'll be helping them interact socially.
Remember, flexibility is key, and employers shouldn't lose sight of what apprentices with this background can bring to their workplace.
In many cases, young carers will have been caregiving throughout their childhood and will have a highly developed sense of responsibility. Mature well beyond their years, they'll possess transferrable life skills that make them an asset to any employer.
For example, if the young person usually accompanies their sick parent to medical appointments, they'll be reliable and used to communicating with people in positions of authority. Attuned to other people's needs, they'll be kind and understanding, and on a practical level, they'll know how to make meals, shop, clean and balance household budgets.
Soft skills such as empathy, compassion and patience, along with harder ones like resilience under pressure and good time management, transfer well into any work environment.
How Onefile can help
Onefile's Eportfolio has been designed to make life so much easier for learners, their training providers and employers. Its user-friendly functions ensure everything is in one place and easily accessible, allowing learners to feel supported while studying online.
This is beneficial for all learners' off-the-job training but is especially helpful for apprentices such as unpaid carers who might need to rearrange their study time or do a greater percentage of their learning online.
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