When Gemma Grumbell studied for a psychology degree in the mid-1990s she found the child development module fascinating. However, after graduating she went to work for a travel company, and opted for a career in its human resources department, where she stayed for eight years.
Everything changed for Gemma at the end of last year when she was made redundant. After a good deal of soul searching and researching she is now on the full training pathway to become an Early Years Professional.
Gemma is being fully funded by the Children's Workforce Development Council to do a course of 12 months of full-time study, including work placements and validation. Because of the nature of her degree, there will be an emphasis on linking theory and practice, and her placements will provide experience of leading practice.
'I had been thinking about going into teaching, but various links on the internet led me to the CWDC site and its information on the EYP,' she says.
'I started reading up on it and it took me a few months of gathering information to determine that it was for me. Now I have started the course and I am currently talking to a couple of local nurseries about the possibilities of work placements.'
Gemma's tuition fees amount to 6,300 and she will also receive a Pounds 5,000 bursary. This money is provided from the Transformation Fund, with course fees fed directly to the training provider. Supply cover funding is also available to settings for the part-time study pathways to the status, which are over either three or 15 months.
Gemma says, 'The funding combined with my redundancy money will enable me to complete the course within the year. I may also be able to do some paid work and at least I haven't got to go into debt.'
Most of Gemma's study will be done at her home in Worthing, West Sussex, through the Open University in conjunction with the NDNA. It will also include 18 weeks of work placement.
'I have been allocated a mentor to help me through it,' she says. 'One of the nurseries I contacted for a placement suggested that if one became available they might pay me for the hours I worked there.'
Gemma feels there are lots of local opportunities for local career development, once she has gained EYP status.
At the CWDC, senior programme manager Carol Young says Gemma is one of the many applicants who have come forward with degrees, but no experience in early years education. She reports that she has been 'inundated' with enquiries since the advertising campaign that kicked off last December.
'We're talking about people who have degrees in psychology, law, languages, the arts and multimedia, to name but a few,' she says. 'We have one lady who is in her mid-50s and has been a lawyer for all her career and now wants to do something she really enjoys for the rest of her working life.
'We also have mothers who have degrees, who have done a lot of voluntary pre-school work and now want to put something in. A lot of people say they didn't know what they wanted to do, but they read the information and thought, 'that's it'.
Everyone registering an enquiry for the course can expect a personal reply.
Although some people will initially be disappointed to learn they do not meet the criteria, Carol says that these applications will be looked at again and suggestions will be made as to how they can gain the necessary qualifications.
'Some people may have a degree but not have either a maths or English GCSE A-C or equivalent. In these cases we are looking at other ways to test competency.'
The sheer enthusiasm of so many of the applicants has been encouraging. 'We need people who are really inspired and are prepared to commit to the level of study that is required,' Carol says.
For Gemma Grumbell the amount of home study will be a challenge, although she believes that having a mentor will help to keep her on track. She says, 'I feel I've been in a comfort zone for the last 11 years and this really is an opportunity to move out of it.'
'Brighton and Hove is a dynamic local authority area when it comes to children's services so I am very excited about the possibilities.'
