Greater Manchester Combined Authority provided the funding for two new Skills Bootcamps to enhance the skillsets of current or potential room leaders and nursery managers. The programmes, lasting up to a maximum of 16 weeks, are being delivered online by trainers from Realise.

The courses have been designed to help create fully effective managers and room leaders at a time when the early years sector is facing a battle to recruit and retain talent.

Karen Derbyshire, Operations Director for Early Years at Realise, said: “This is an extremely exciting programme, and we are delighted to be part of the first Skills Bootcamp of its kind to be delivered in the UK.

“It will be beneficial to the individual who will progress in their career and the nursery’s succession planning.

“Unfortunately, we do see a number of managers or aspiring managers leaving the sector because of a perceived lack of career progression, and we are confident this course plays a big part in addressing that.”

“There are four main groups that will be helped by these Skills Bootcamps – those who have been managers or room leaders for a long time but may not be carrying out full roles and responsibilities, those who have just moved into the role and require some additional support, those who are working in a nursery but aspire to take up a new position, and those who have left the industry but are looking to return at, say, a room leader position.”

The Room Leader course is being delivered to the equivalent of level 3 training, while the Nursery Manager course is targeted at level 5 standard.

Both programmes cover compulsory subjects, including how to have difficult conversations and leading people, while the nursery managers’ course also includes commercial awareness, financial awareness and occupancy and marketing.

For those learners working in t he early years sector already, the employer must contribute 10% of the costs if they are an SME or 30% for larger operators with more than 250 employees.

Anyone working in a Greater Manchester nursery who may be interested in enrolling in one of these courses should fill in their details in the form below and one of our team will reach out with more information.