Boarding school matron
You will be asked to take care of students' well-being and organise the domestic and cleaning staff. Residential schools often offer accommodation and meals for their staff, plus a salary based on your experience. Although there are no specific qualifications needed for the job (other than a Criminal Records Bureau check) it's helpful to have experience in childcare or nursing. The following qualifications may also help:
* CACHE (Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education) Diploma in Childcare and Education.
* BTEC National Diploma in Care or Early Years.
* Nursing diploma
* Nursing degree
You can find jobs in domestic roles in the Times Educational Supplement and on the Boarding Schools' Association website. Caretaker General duties include carrying out repairs and safety checks and ordering necessary equipment. Schools, universities, churches, office blocks and housing association homes all offer caretaking jobs. Depending on the location of the job, many caretakers receive a free or subsidised flat or house. Relevant work experience is normally more important than professional qualifications. Having been a maintenance supervisor or security guard in the past will help. If you did want to get ahead of the game, however, an NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Cleaning and Support Services (Caretaking) would help, along with basic health and safety/fire warden training. Distance learning courses are also available from the Chartered Institute of Housing.
The best place to look for a caretaking job is the The Caretakers' website, but you may be able to find vacancies closer to home through local media and directly contacting institutions. Nanny Not all nannying roles involve live-in accommodation but if it is a domestic role then expect to receive your own bedroom and meals. Wages are between £200 and £400 a week depending on the location, hours and your qualifications. There are no laws requiring nannies to have any formal qualifications but many parents may not trust you to look after their children if you have no experience or knowledge of childcare. The best way to go about it is to sign up to a nannying agency such as Top Notch Nannies - other nannying agencies to try are Knightsbridge Nannies and Childcare International. The agency will normally ask for personal references, the ability to speak fluent English and some childcare experience. Try to get as much experience as you can working with children before you start to apply. Relevant qualifications include CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare or a BTEC National Certificate or Diploma in Early Years. First Aid for Those Caring for Children or Paediatric First Aid is also an impressive thing to have on your CV. Domestic couples Country mansions, large family homes and historic buildings frequently require domestic couples for tasks such as cooking, cleaning, repair work/DIY, gardening and driving. Your accommodation - which is likely to be of very high quality - and meals will be provided. You can also expect a decent pay cheque.
Depending on the size and location of the home, wages for a couple can range from £600 to £1,000 a week. Again you don't need formal qualifications, although a full driving licence and gardening knowledge might come in handy. The best way to go about it is by gaining experience. Take a look at Mrs Hunt's Agency and County Couples vacancies. Activity instructor Activity centres all over the UK are looking for fun, fit, energetic people to instruct outdoor exercises like raft building, wall climbing, abseiling and rowing. Among other things you would be helping with the planning, instruction and supervising of activities. Some work for these kinds of places is voluntary, although your accommodation and expenses will normally be paid for. However, people taking up the job at a more senior level, or with relevant experience, should expect a reasonable pay cheque. You don't necessarily need qualifications as some centres offer on the job training. If you want to enter this career on a reasonable salary, it's advisable to hold a coaching or instructor qualification for one of the activities the centre offers. Again, a CRB check will more than likely be necessary. Hotel jobs Large hotels often require a variety of staff to live in-house. Here is a selection of the kind of jobs that come with accommodation.
* Hotel Manager - either work your way up from a more junior position, or get a good qualification in hospitality, such as a degree or BTEC HNC/HND in Hospitality Management.
* Restaurant Manager - start as a chef or waiter/waitress and work your way up or fast track your way to the top with a qualification in hospitality. With a BTEC HNC/HND or degree you're likely to be offered a higher paid role with more responsibilities. Be aware that you're likely to be required to hold a personal licence if the restaurant serves alcohol.
* Housekeeper - to be in charge of the room attendants in the hotel, a work history in management would normally be required although it's possible to work your way up from lower positions.
* Chef - you need no former qualifications to be hired as a commis (trainee) chef as you'll be trained on the job. If you want to enter at a higher level, such as 'chef de partie' or 'sous chef' you'll need a good qualification, such as a foundation degree, BTEC HNC/HND, or degree in professional cookery or culinary arts management.
A range of agencies specialise in hotel work - take a look at the Caterer online for jobs. More information The Lady usually carries adverts for all sorts of live-in jobs - check out the latest vacancies on their website. When a job requires you to work with vulnerable people such as children or disabled people, you will need to have a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check, to prove that you are not a potential danger to the people you will be working with. If the company employing you asks you to get a check carried out, they should provide you with an application form to fill out, or tell you how to apply. If you're self-employed however, the process can be quite difficult as you can't apply to carry out a CRB check on yourself. There are companies that can legally facilitate CRB checks on individuals, although they are difficult to find. The Criminal Records Bureau and the UK Umbrella Service are good places to start.
Jasmine earns her living as a finance journalist, expert, TV presenter and is author of 38 books including the latest, "Beat the Banks!"
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