Deepening Glasgow’s early years profession
The Glasgow colleges are building courses and broadening their intake to support the promise of extended early years provision. Vitally, the region is also addressing the depth of its training offer to ensure we have the right people with the right skills to sustain growth and develop excellence in our nurseries. We are developing a training pipeline to offer multiple entry points and flexible learning options for people at all stages of their careers.
Childcare and Playwork have come a long way in 20 years and have now emerged as fully-fledged professions. This not only means statutory regulation by the Scottish Social Services Council but also includes a commitment to career long professional learning at every stage of the journey.
At the entrant level we offer ‘First Steps to Childcare’ and NC programmes at level 5. These suit entrants who have no experience in care work and are keen to get a foot on the first rung of the training ladder. We are supporting people who want to enter the profession by developing Foundation Apprenticeships, increasing our intake of school leavers, and attracting career changers.
Scotland has an immediate need for Level 7-qualified workers. They can secure the SSSC registration that is essential for employment as a Child Development Officer. The Glasgow colleges have increased their training provision at this level to meet this demand by 2020.
There is a further need for degree-qualified specialists who can take on the Lead Practitioner and managerial roles needed to manage and expand nurseries. Again, the region has responded robustly to this demand; offering Level 8 and 9 courses at City of Glasgow College and Glasgow Clyde College, with part time and ‘blended’ study options open to early years specialists seeking to develop their careers.
With the quantity of qualified workers an imperative, Glasgow’s colleges are also ensuring that the quality of our recruits, their training, and their professional development are first class. To attract students of the highest calibre, we are offering flexible training options, entry points and development opportunities to build a life-long career in Glasgow’s early years profession.
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