Cambridgeshire County Council has launched a new scheme to expand its social care workforce.
Coming against a backdrop of mounting social care pressures around the country, a new programme will see residents of Cambridgeshire offered the chance to qualify as a social worker thanks to a fully-funded degree apprenticeship. This will allow learners to study for a Bachelor of Science degree in social work, whilst working within the council’s adult social care team.
The programme will begin in January 2025 and will, at first, see 20 learners offered positions. Over the course of three years, the learners will then gain the skills and knowledge required to work within adult social care, however the apprenticeship will also give them the chance to gain the experience needed for working in the council setting and the opportunity to develop a range of values.
Once the three-year course has ended, the apprentices will move onto the Newly Qualified Social Worker programme which will offer them a further year of development and support.
Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Adults and Health Committee, Cllr Richard Howitt, said:
“This innovative and ambitious scheme benefits everybody – the apprentices themselves, the County Council, and those with care and support needs. The best social workers support the people of Cambridgeshire to live fulfilling, healthy, safe and independent lives through timely support that is most suited to their needs. In Cambridgeshire, this is vital to us as it meets our core values of being a greener, fairer and more caring county.”
Image credit: iStock
