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Graduates’ Expectations And Experience Of Social Care Work: Strengths And Abilities Being Nurtured?, Fiona Mcsweeney

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This paper reports on the views of social care graduates with regard to their expectations of the workplace and subsequent experiences as newly qualified practitioners in the workforce.

Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with the same participants. The first was at the end of their final year in college (n=17) and the second nine to twelve months later when they were in employment (n=14). Findings indicate that participants, while apprehensive, felt ready for the workforce. Similarly graduating students held fears about transitioning to the workplace particularly in relation to increased practice accountability but as workers participants reported themselves as coping …