Role Characteristics
- Help someone adapt to life after major surgery
- Support people with mental illnesses or learning disabilities with everyday activities such as work or volunteering
- Enable elderly people stay in their own homes by providing adaptations such as level access showers or stair lifts
- Use equipment or assistive technology
- Adapt a person's home or working environment
- Find strategies to meet people's own goals
Skills
- Empathy
- Planning
- Problem-solving
- Taking initiative
- Observation
- Communication
Day in the life
Watch this video to find about Lawrences work as an Occupational Therapist.
Routes into this role
Here are some example routes that can lead into this role.
- Undergraduate degree
- Degree apprenticeship
- BTEC, T-Level or A-Levels
- GCSEs
How to become
To become an Occupational Therapist, you will need a degree in Occupational Therapy. There are many ways to access university level education and you can explore lots of current opportunities in the section below.
You might:
- Study A Levels, BTECs, or T Levels – useful subjects might include Health and Social Care, Psychology, Biology, Sociology, Physical Education or English. Explore some current opportunities below.
- Complete an Access to Higher Education course – a college course designed for adults who want to access higher education but don’t have the traditional requirements like A Levels.
- Complete a Foundation course – a year-long university course designed to prepare you for studying Occupational Therapy or a related health profession if you do not have the required qualifications or grades to go straight into a degree.
You will then be ready to study at a university level. This can include:
- Studying an undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy.
- Complete a Degree Apprenticeship – gain experience in the workplace while also studying a qualification in Occupational Therapy.
Alongside education, you may also want to build some relevant work or voluntary experience in healthcare, social care, education, community services, rehabilitation services or support roles and think about developing your communication, empathy, problem-solving, teamwork and organisation skills.
To work in this role, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Where can this role lead
From your role as an Occupational Therapist, you could continue helping people live as independently as possible by specialising in areas such as Mental Health Occupational Therapy, Learning Disability Occupational Therapy, or Children's Occupational Therapy.
You could also specialise in supporting people through recovery and rehabilitation as a Physiotherapist or Art Therapist, building on your understanding of person-centred care and therapeutic interventions.
Your assessment, problem-solving, and communication skills as an Occupational Therapist would also translate well to sideways moves such as a Social Worker, Care Navigator, or Health Trainer.
Progression might look like seeking a leadership role within therapy services, applying your skills to become a Service Manager, or progressing into Project Manager roles focused on improving health and care services.
If you enjoy helping people improve their lives but want to focus less on delivering hands-on therapy, you could look at roles such as Employment Advisor or Community Development Support Officer
Location
-
Armed Forces
-
Care Homes
-
Community Settings
-
Hospitals
-
Peoples Homes
-
Prisons
-
GP Practices
-
Schools, colleges and universities
Working hours
-
Full Time
-
Part Time
-
Weekdays
-
Overtime
-
Flexible Hours
Opportunities
Virtual work experience
- Organisation
- Aspiring Allies
Volunteering in Health and Care
- Organisation
- Volunteering Opportunities
BSc Occupational Therapy
- Organisation
- Leeds Beckett University