The first new higher education qualification for 25 years was launched this autumn, offering a new route to professional development for early years practitioners.
Called a foundation degree, this new employment-related higher education qualification can be studied by employees such as nursery nurses and classroom assistants to gain specialist skills for work, and act as a stepping stone to further professional development, including teaching.
Employers, professional bodies and national training organisations have helped design the qualifications - a key weapon in the Government's campaign to combat skills shortages.
A foundation degree is ranked one level below an honours degree and sits at level 4 on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's qualifications framework. The degree can be studied part time or full time over two years and has been developed to be delivered flexibly, via the internet or through distance or work-based learning, or locally at further education colleges. On completion, students will be able to achieve an Honours degree in up to 15 months of further study.
Initially, nearly 4,000 places on 69 foundation degree courses are being run this year at 90 universities, higher and further education colleges in England, with courses ranging from e-business to early years practice.
Among them are City and Islington College in London, which is offering a foundation degree in Early Childhood Studies. Course manager Penny Mukherji describes the foundation degrees as 'a very exciting concept', allowing students to work while studying and opening up opportunities in childcare management and the option to complete an honours degree in 15 months (see box).
Promoting the qualification, ministers stress that a foundation degree will increase people's career opportunities and earning potential and provide a step to further study, profes-sional development and promotion.
Margaret Hodge, minister for lifelong learning and higher education, says, 'Graduates with foundation degrees will have what employers want - a thorough academic grounding complete with practical job skills. And because these courses are vocational, they are attractive to people who are uncertain about higher education and want certainty that it will provide a passport to a job.' NW
Further information
* Visit the foundation degree website www.foundationdegree.org.uk or contact the national learning advice line, Learn Direct, on 0800 100 900 or visit its website at www.learndirect.co.uk * Call City and Islington on 020 7700 9200 or Hackney Community College on 020 7613 9123.