19.04.07
Saltash - new HE opportunities in childcare management

The UK children's day care nurseries market was worth £3.2 billion in 2004 and has shown phenomenal growth over the last 10 years.

With parents and guardians in the UK spending an estimated £2.7 billion on children's day care services there has never been a better time to develop your career in Childcare.

For the first time Cornwall College Saltash is offering a foundation degree in Early Childhood Studies, a university level course to give students the necessary skills and knowledge to work with children within the care industry.

The course offers opportunities to study management as well as the social, environmental and developmental aspects of child development and welfare. Students will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, plus excellent student support.

The course, which is approved by the University of Plymouth, involves a wide range of academic activities, including written assignments, practical group work and research. Study is either full or part-time, and is delivered in innovative and flexible ways, often designed around the requirements of the workplace and the commitments of the student. Credits can be accumulated towards entry into the third year of a full honours degree course.

The last decade has seen rapid growth in total nursery sector capacity and demand for nursery services, with average UK occupancy standing at 83%. With nursery places far outstripping the growth in the number of nurseries, the demand for quality childcare is still soaring.

"This is a great opportunity for those in North Cornwall and West Devon to improve their existing qualifications or train towards a new qualification in childcare. With the government encouraging more women to return to work after having children the opportunities for those in the childcare industry are immense," said Steve Warnes, Head of Cornwall College Saltash.

John Latham, Principal of Cornwall College, added: "Foundation degrees were introduced in 2001 as a new vocational qualification that would be employer demand-led. Employers actually lead in the design and development to ensure that the skills and knowledge in the programme of study are designed to meet current employment needs."

Studying will take place in the new flagship Higher Education building at Cornwall College Saltash, which is part of a multi-million pound development, financially supported by the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) initiative, part-funded by the Objective One European Regional Development Fund.

For more information and a chance to look at the new facilities at Saltash, come along to the Higher Education Open Event on Wednesday 25th April from 5 pm – 8 pm.

For more information please contact Mark Delf on 01752 850250 or email mark.delf@saltash.ac.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project, both Phase 1 and Phase 2, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF). Cornwall College is a partner of the CUC.

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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