Up to 1,000 early years apprentices will be able to apply for bursaries in a new Government scheme launching in September.
The scheme is intended to support the roll-out of nursery places for disadvantaged two-year-olds. To be eligible for the funding, apprentices must be taken on in an early years setting that will be providing the two-year-old places.
But applicants will need to be enrolled on the Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in Children and Young People's Workforce to be eligible, which has been previously criticised for lacking rigour, particularly around working with two-year-olds.
The Apprenticeship Bursary scheme will be a transitional scheme ahead of the Early Years Educator qualifications in 2014.
From September, early years students will be able to apply for up to £1,500 with a further £300 available for more training. Apprentices will also need to have a minimum of grade C in maths and English at GCSE. The scheme will be run by the National College for Teaching and Leadership.
The apprenticeships will be expected to last an average of 20 months and students will undertake a combination of work and study to gain a recognised qualification through further education colleges.
The Department for Education (DfE) said that successful applicants would receive a one-off payment of £1,500, subject to tax and National Insurance deductions, and could request another £300 for training.
Nursery owners and training providers have previously criticised the suitability of the Level 3 Diploma. Objections raised included the fact that it did not prepare practitioners for work with two-year-olds and that there was little specific content relevant to child development.
Chris Lawrence, principal of Chiltern College, an independent childcare training college in Reading with a large day nursery attached, said she was 'very concerned' that applicants to the scheme would be required to study the Level 3 Diploma.
'I really don't understand how this is going to improve quality. Two-year-olds require really skilled workers and I don't think the diploma is fit for purpose. There has been widespread concern about it. Why is the DfE trying to prop up this qualification? Why haven't they chosen a more respected qualification? This feels like a quick fix, rather than a thought through process.'
Ms Lawrence added that at the college's setting, students coming in who had studied the Level 3 Diploma often had 'very little knowledge of important areas'.
Jennie Johnson, chief executive of Kids Allowed, a group of nurseries in the Manchester area, said, 'Any investment in the childcare sector's workforce is to be welcomed. However, I am unclear of the long-term strategy and wonder why this announcement is being made piecemeal rather then as part of the entire reform package so we can understand it in context.'
Crawford Knott, who runs Hawk Training, said it was not clear from the information given so far whether private training providers would be included in the scheme.
Mr Knott told Nursery World, 'I sincerely hope that private providers would be included as private training providers provide the majority of apprenticeships. If it's only open to colleges and not training providers that would be a serious omission.'
Mr Knott added that the requirement to have GCSE maths and English at Grade C or above 'could act as a bit of a barrier' for some childcare students.
A spokesperson for DfE said, 'Employers will be able to advertise vacancies on the national apprenticeship service website or through their normal recruitment channels.' He added that the apprenticeships would be open to those who had recently left school or college, or are returning to work.
The Government consultation on the eligibility criteria for the new Early Years Educator qualification closed last month. DfE said it will publish the findings and new criteria soon.
Education and childcare minister Elizabeth Truss said, 'Caring for and educating young children is a fantastically rewarding jobs. The bursaries announced today will make it easier for talented people to start a career in early education.
'Good-quality early education is proven to help young children get a head start in life, especially those from poorer backgrounds. I hope these bursaries encourage students to consider working in early education.'
David Pomfret, principal of the College of West Anglia, said he hoped that the bursaries would encourage more people to train for a career in the sector, which he said was a growth industry.
'We have seen a significant increase in the number of young people taking childcare courses at the college in recent years and are about to launch a new range of work-based apprenticeships in early years to provide further opportunities.'
- More details of the apprenticeship scheme will be available on the National College for Teaching and Leadership website shortly. In the meantime, prospective applicants can email ta.apprenticeship@education.gsi.gov.uk for more information.
