North-east charity training the young to fill gaps in childcare
A north-east charity is providing training to young people in a bid to fill skills gaps in the childcare sector.
Pictured are Caitlyn Findlay, Elise Ogilvie, Alesha Beattie.
Aberlour Futures works to deliver vocational qualifications and training for the early learning and childcare workforce in Aberdeen city and shire.
Its Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services (Children and Young People) gives pupils accelerated access to the organisation’s Modern Apprenticeship Programme.
The charity held a paediatric first aid session for 10 pupils working towards their foundation apprenticeship on Thursday.
Susan Greig, assistant service manager for employability, said: “The event was about giving our pupils an additional experience which they might not otherwise get, which is paediatric first aid training.
“The foundation apprenticeship is a new apprenticeship we’re delivering at St Machar Academy and it’s an additional strand to what we already do in schools.
“It is an alternative to attending college and really suits the needs of the pupils as they are taught in an environment which is familiar to them.
“We provide a career pathway for young people and a positive destination for those who wish to pursue a career in the early years sector.”
Additional jobs are being advertised due to the expansion of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) for all three and four-year-olds, as well as eligible two-year-olds from August.
Brought about under Scottish Government legislation, the new provision increases ELC funded hours from 600 to 1,140 hours per year.
Susan said: “We want to give pupils the whole experience of working within the early education and childcare sector and actually fill the skills gap and ensure they get jobs at the end of it.
She added: “Last year we had an Education Scotland review and we came out as sector-leading for our modern apprenticeship programme which is really good.”
Find out more about Aberlour Futures – Aberdeen City & Shire.
The original article can be viewed on the Evening Express website.