More than 100 new nursery workers are set to be created across Devon in preparation for a surge in demand for childcare next month.

Skills Bootcamps will run between now and the end of the year, creating 70 new recruits to the sector.

Devon is amongst the first locations in England to be selected for the training course after the counties were identified as having a particular demand for new recruits to the sector.

That demand is set to heighten in a matter of days with 15 hours of government funded childcare support being extended to eligible working parents of children from the age of nine months to three-year-olds.

The Skills Bootcamps are being delivered by Realise, the leading early years training provider in the UK.

The programmes are largely delivered online and can be completed in as little as six weeks.

Skills Bootcamps are open to anyone aged over 19.

They are free of charge to those individuals not currently employed in early years, and are designed to offer flexible training, providing the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills.

Karen Derbyshire, Operations Director for Early Years at Realise, said: “With the number of children eligible for free childcare set to grow substantially, it’s more important than ever to not only attract new people to the industry but to get them progressing through appropriate training.

“We are delighted to be supporting this programme.

“The Skills Bootcamps are a real opportunity for people who are currently unemployed, in another job but looking for a new career or people who have worked in early years previously and are now looking to return to the sector.

“For the learner, it is the chance to take the first steps to forging a new career and for nursery settings, it’s an opportunity to bring new talent into their team.”

As well as securing a guaranteed interview, those completing the Skills Bootcamp will also have access to career coaches while the process of receiving enhanced DBS checks will begin during the training.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the Skills Bootcamps should visit: https://realisetraining.com/course/early-years-skills-bootcamp/