Top tips for social work courses in Clearing

Hi, I’m Camilla Ventre and I’m a Social Work Lecturer at Manchester Met.

What research should I do into social work to prepare? 

If you’d like to know what social work is, or what your future career might look like, a great place to start is by looking on the Social Work England website. We’re a regulated profession and they’re our regulating body. It’ll give you a clear insight into what we’re supporting you to develop on the social work course.  

What’s one key piece of advice you’d give to a student entering the course through clearing? 

I would say to go for it. You can overthink something if you’re unsure, but if you inform yourself and use the resources that we’ve recommended then you’ll see that it’s an exciting profession.

Each day of the course is different, and we put a lot of time and effort into what we deliver to our students. We always look forward to welcoming new students no matter how they enter the course.  

What do you look for in prospective social work students? 

Having experience is important for the social work course, even if your experience links to the time you’ve spent in education or college. Take the time to think about what opportunities you’ve had there and how they could link to the social work profession. This could be a placement, shadowing, or even the learning you’ve engaged with. 

If you’re worried about your experience, consider participating in any opportunities in community settings over the summer. It’ll help you better understand what social work might look like, and help you feel more confident.  

We welcome a range of students on our course and we want you to feel confident and be able to engage and ask questions. Come with an open mind, excitement and be ready to build relationships with your peers and tutors.  

How can I impress you on the interview call? 

Be prepared for your social work interview by using the resources that we have suggested and practice opening up your answers when talking to us.

We want you to have some knowledge about the social work profession and the societal issues that you might be engaged with as a social worker. Knowing this will help you feel more confident during the interview process.  

Is there anything I can do beyond looking at the course page?

When you’re reviewing the course page, you can learn a lot about our course, so it’s about feeling enthusiastic about that. We’re an amazing social work course with great facilities, alongside practical elements to the course and hands-on experience.  

We also want you to be prepared that it is a course that involves placements, so it’s different from a lot of other university courses that your friends might be doing. We wand you to take the time to absorb this information and think about how it fits into your life and future.  

What are some common misconceptions of Clearing you’d like to address? 

When we go into the UCAS Clearing process and meet new students, we’re just as enthusiastic about meeting students from Clearing than we are about students who come to the course the conventional way. There is no judgement from staff. All we want you to do is succeed and enjoy the course.