From 1 October a new framework for early years apprenticeships (and advanced apprenticeships) is being introduced, and from this date colleges and training providers in England will have to be ready to deliver the new programme.
The current Children's Care, Learning and Development (CCLD) apprenticeships are aimed at young people between 16 and 24 who are not in full-time education and wish to gain nationally recognised, work-based qualifications to improve their career prospects in the sector. An apprenticeship at Level 2 typically takes between nine and 18 months to complete, and candidates earn a salary while they are on the programme.
In August the Government announced that £200m of the Train to Gain budget will be re-directed to fund the delivery of 50,000 apprenticeship places in the workplace at large, and college building programmes. The Skills Funding Agency will continue to administer these and the remaining Train to Gain budget.
CHANGE TO CONTENT
Significant changes have now been made to the existing apprenticeship framework. The technical certificate will no longer be a component and the CCLD will be replaced by the new Level 2 Certificate and Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce.
Other key elements to be clarified in a final revision to the framework in March 2011 include:
- - Personal Learning and Thinking Skills
- - Functional skills (changed from key skills)
- - Additional mandatory knowledge units to undertake within the diploma pathway
- - Employee rights and responsibilities.
Sally Eaton, director of the Childcare Company (pictured), says, 'The fact that the technical certificate is going is a positive development. A lot of apprentices have found this difficult in the past and have struggled to cross-reference it with the NVQ. This means the course will be solely focused on the new diploma and if it is taught well, candidates will have a good grounding.'
Ms Eaton believes that replacing the CCLD with the Level 2 and Level 3 will make early years apprenticeships a lot more streamlined and transparent. 'All in, all the new framework provides an improved programme and will maximise benefits to both apprentices and their employers.'
For Wales and Northern Ireland, the contents of the framework currently remain the same. Separate frameworks for these countries will be developed for April 2011, in line with the Specification of Apprenticeships Standards for Wales and any new requirements developed for Northern Ireland.
Further information
