Our Graduate Apprenticeships (GAs) provide a fully-funded pathway for individuals to a achieve a degree or for organisations to invest in the talents of their workforce.
Get in touch with our team to find out more:
Future-proof your workforce with UWS BA Early Learning and Childcare Graduate Apprenticeship.
Developed in response to A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare (2017) and Skills Development Scotland’s Skills Investment Plan for Scotland’s Early Learning and Childcare sector (2017), the GA offers a work-based learning route to developing qualified and competent Early Learning and Childcare practitioners.
The programme has been designed in collaboration with subject experts from across the sector, Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland to ensure that the programme meets both employer and student expectations.
Apprentices apply their learning in their professional practice from Day 1, engaging in practice-based learning in an Early Learning & Childcare setting.
The programme combines work-based learning and academic study – both on campus and online - to develop apprentices’ knowledge and skills, enabling them to become effective, high quality practitioners.
Apprentices develop these additional skills and competencies through their academic studies and daily workplace experiences and, as a result, are better equipped to successfully manage their future personal and professional lives.
Successful completion of the Graduate Apprenticeship leads to registration as a Practitioner with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).
Apprentices are supported by a dedicated team of lecturers, Workplace Mentors and Academic Tutors to support their learning both on campus and in the workplace.
Delivered from our award-winning Lanarkshire campus using modern teaching practice with blended learning, apprentices develop a critical and reflexive approach to work-based practice.
which facilitates recognition of prior industry experience and qualifications.
Listen to one of our employer partners – South Lanarkshire Council - explain how Graduate Apprenticeships have made a real difference to their staff and service delivery.
Graduate Apprenticeships are built on a partnership between employers, apprentices and UWS enabling students to align their learning with their workplace activities and apply their new skills and learning in a professional environment from Day 1.
To do this, apprentices are supported by a dedicated team of lecturers, Workplace Mentors and Academic Tutors to support their learning both on campus and in the workplace.
As a result, Graduate Apprentices are uniquely placed to integrate their academic skills, knowledge and practices with their workplace practices becoming qualified and competent Early Learning and Childcare practitioners and contributing to the develop of best practice for the benefit of the children and families in their setting.
Listen to some of our recent apprentices share their stories and the impact the Graduate Apprenticeship programme has had on them:
To apply for a GA you must be resident in Scotland before you start and meet SAAS (Student Awards Agency Scotland) eligibility criteria. Further information on SAAS eligibility and application process is available here.
All applicants must be in employment (for a minimum of 21 hours per week) in a role related to your course of study. The premises you work in must also be located in Scotland. As part of your application, you will have to demonstrate that your employer supports your application.
GAs are open to existing employees and new recruits. All applicants are considered on an individual basis.
Don’t worry if your qualifications are not listed here, we take a range of factors into account when assessing your application and are happy to consider other alternative combinations of qualifications and experience. Experienced applicants can apply for admission based on Accreditation of Prior Learning / Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning in accordance with the University’s RPL guidelines - contact us for more information.
100% overall student satisfaction for Early Learning & Childcare - National Student Survey 2023
Applicants require to be in employment in an early years setting.
Entry to Year 1:
All academic degrees/awards at UWS are taught in English. For applicants whose first language is not English*, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. All English language qualifications must have been gained within two years of the start of your UWS course.
* applicants who are exempt from english language requirements include:
In general terms, if you are applying to study a course at, or above, Year 1 (SCQF Level 7) bachelor’s degree level, then the UKVI’s minimum level of English proficiency is Common European Framework for References of Languages (CEFR) at B2 (Upper Intermediate).
At UWS, we define our general English language requirements using the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training) as follows:
These are minimum requirements and some courses may require a higher standard for admission†.
† Exceptions to this level of IELTS scoring exist for some accredited or professionally-recognised courses (see IELTS Score Exceptions section below for more information).
For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf) applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For Health, Nursing & Midwifery courses that lead to professional registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (BSc Adult Nursing, MSc Adult Nursing, BSc Mental Health Nursing, MSc Mental Health Nursing, BSc Midwifery and MSc Midwifery), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
Our BSc Paramedic Science degree leads to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC); it has different IELTS requirements than other Health-related courses. Although it is not possible to apply for this degree directly as an international student, for applicants who meet SAAS residency requirements and for whom English is not their first language, then the following IELTS scores are required:
For our BSc (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science and MSc Advanced Biomedical Science degrees, which may lead to professional registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
Our BA (Hons) Social Work and MSc Social Work degrees are professionally recognised by the Scottish Social Services Council and applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
For our Certificate of Higher Education courses, applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:
In additional to IELTS, we also accept a number of alternative English language for application and admission to our courses for both home/EU and international students at bachelor's degree study at Year 3 (SCQF Level 9), and above. From Cambridge to TOFEL iBT qualifications the number of these qualifications is extensive.
Find out about non-IELTS English Language Tests
UWS has also reviewed a range of High / Secondary School qualifications studied by non-EU applicants that can be used as a basis of entry to a UWS. These range from Botswana GCSEs to USA High School Graduation Diplomas, the number of these qualifications is extensive.
Find out more about international English Language high-hchool qualifications
Applicants who do not meet the minimum English language requirements have the option to study one of our preparatory and pre-sessional English courses. The UWS courses available are:
The Graduate Apprenticeship BA Early Learning and Childcare is a Work-based Learning course which has been developed in partnership with the Early Learning and Childcare sector and Skills Development Scotland (SDS). This ensures that graduate learning is aligned to the ongoing needs of the sector.
This course fully embraces the principles of Work-Based Learning. It is delivered over four years and apprentices will undertake 120 credits per year (three trimesters per year). Work-based learning and work-based assessment strongly underpin the course.
The programme will be delivered using a blend of learning and teaching strategies. This will include the use of the UWS virtual learning environment, and tutor/apprentice led discussion, lectures, tutorials, apprentice-led seminars, group-work, role-play, presentations, workshops, problem-based learning, and work-based learning. Personal Development Planning (PDP) is central to the programme beginning with apprentices identifying and developing goals for their own learning and development which will be evidenced in their Individual Learning Plan (ILP). All summative assessments are graded and marked by academic members of UWS staff.
Programme Specification and Module Descriptors for Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses are available to download (PDFs). These provide you with core information concerning your chosen subject.
For individuals and organisations who wish to find out more about the Graduate Apprenticeship BA Early Learning and Childcare, please contact our team at apprenticeships@uws.ac.uk
Usman Ahmad
Industry Engagement Manager
Usman.Ahmad@uws.ac.uk
07442836410
Joyce Leslie
BA Early Learning & Childcare Graduate Apprenticeship Programme Leader
School of Education & Social Sciences
Joyce.Leslie@uws.ac.uk
To apply directly to the University for this course you need to be working in Scotland in a position that relates to the field of study and have support from your employer to undertake the GA. Due to the way Graduate Apprenticeships are funded, only students who meet Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) eligibility criteria can apply. Further information is available here
We will always try to make sure that we publish accurate course information but we do not accept responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We will also try to make sure that we deliver our courses in line with our published information. However, we may not always be able to do so and you can find further information about this in our enrolment terms and conditions.