Care assistant- Kirklees care cadet in West Yorkshire, England at Routes Healthcare

Care Assistant - Care Cadet Programme

Location: Huddesfield, Dewsbury, Calderdale and surrounding areas

Pay Rate: 14.24 per hour (including holiday pay) + 30p per mile

Fully funded Enhanced DBS

Your First Step Into A Real Career

Still working out what comes next? If you leave college without a job lined up, you're not alone and you've got options. Starting in social care isn't a plan B. It's a genuine pathway into roles that matter: you'll build real skills, support real people, and genuinely change things.

We're looking for college leavers (18+) who want to try something different. No experience needed. You'll be paired with our team, learn as you go, and get paid properly from day one, the same as everyone else.

What You'll Actually Be Doing

This is a homecare position, you're out in the community visiting clients in their own homes. It's not office-based or in a care home.

You'll be supporting people with:

Personal care delivered with dignity

Help with medications and daily routines

Support with meals, nutrition, and household tasks

Working alongside clients who have complex healthcare needs

Travelling between visits throughout your shift

You'll work solo or as part of a two-person team, depending on what each client needs. You'll need a full driving licence and access to your own car this is community care, so transport is essential. It's real responsibility, real people, and real impact.

Why Start With Routes

We're a care company, not an agency. That means you work directly for Routes, with the same team, the same clients, and proper support.

What we offer:

Fully funded Enhanced DBS (we cover it)

Training and ongoing development through Routes Academy

Shift flexibility that fits around your life

Full-time or part-time options

14.24 per hour (including holiday pay) + 30p per mile travel

Staff referral scheme (earn up to 250 for each friend you bring in)

A 24/7 on-call team when you need support

Wellbeing and mental health support

No agency staff here just employed Routes care workers

Where This Takes You

Starting as a care assistant isn't a dead-end job. It's a foundation. People from this role move into:

Healthcare roles: senior care positions, team leadership, specialist services (complex care, end-of-life support), nursing, therapy, or other clinical specialisms

Operations and management: training, compliance, recruitment, operations management, or business-facing roles

Inside Routes or beyond: many move into different healthcare organisations too this role gives you genuine, transferable experience

Your first year is about learning what you're good at and what direction interests you. The Routes Academy and mentoring support you through the Care Cadet pathway, and after that you can chart your own course.

What We Need From You

Essential:

Right to work in the UK (no sponsorship available)

Full valid UK driving licence and access to your own car (this is a community role you'll be travelling between visits)

Reliable, honest, and genuinely interested in supporting people

Nice to have:

Any paid care experience in the UK but if you've never tried care before, the structured Care Cadet pathway is designed for exactly this

Your Support Structure

You won't be dropped in at the deep end. New starters like you follow the Care Cadet pathway: structured workshops, mandatory training, mentoring from an experienced team member, and observation-based learning over your first few weeks. You'll have a mentor alongside you and a clear plan. It's proper development, not just a job.

Ready?

If this sounds like something you want to try, apply now. We'll get back to you fast, answer any questions honestly, and tell you exactly what shifts look like in your area.

Routes Healthcare is part of your journey. Let's see where this takes you.

Routes Healthcare is committed to making lives better through exceptional homecare services.

part of your journey