Tameside now boasts six newly qualified social workers who received their degrees after three years of hard work.

This was the first Tameside Council batch of Level 6 Social Worker apprenticeships studying towards an Honours Degree in Social Work, in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University where they attended one day a week.

On graduation, participants have the skills needed to practice as newly qualified social workers that can cover all ages and services.

As part of this programme, participants were assigned mentors from within the organisation to support them in their development. Through the second and third years of the course, the group had placements in different areas to build their academic and practical knowledge.

The continued training and development drive is part of Tameside Council’s plan to build new skills, providing opportunity for development and progression in social work.

As well as training and development opportunities, Tameside’s adults and children’s services offer pay that increases in line with continued professional development and flexible working to support work and life balance.

The council has two more groups of staff working towards this qualification while a further batch will start in March next year.

Cllrs Bill Fairfoull, Deputy Leader of Tameside Council with responsibility for Children and Families, and John Taylor, Tameside Council executive member for Adult Social Care, Homelessness and Inclusivity, issued a joint statement saying: “It is so important for the people we support to have access to these highly qualified social workers who have gained valuable experience through placements.

"We are really proud of them achieving so much in challenging circumstances, as all of them were working on the frontline during the pandemic supporting adults and children in Tameside to live well at home.”

Anyone interested in working for Tameside Council’s Children’s or Adult’s Services should visit https://greater.jobs/ for a full list of vacancies. There is also further information available about job opportunities with the council’s Children’s and Adult’s Services as well as a video about Adult’s Services:

Children’s: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/workingfortameside

Adult’s: https://www.tameside.gov.uk/adultssocialcarejobs

Video: https://youtu.be/Ljx6xxhx7LI

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