Council pilot to boost early years recruitment

Funded through the Department for Education, the pilot will look to offer a one off £1,000 payment to people who join the early years sector and stay for a minimum of six months.

The pilot runs from now until March and is eligible to people who haven’t worked within the sector for the previous six months.

In a recent report by Ofsted, it found that the average number of preschool places per 100 children in the West Midlands was 20.9, with Telford and Wrekin faring slightly above the average at 21.7.

It is hoped the pilot scheme will attract people from Telford and Wrekin into the sector and encourage them to build a career within early years.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds (Lab), Cabinet member for Children, Young People, Education, Employment and Skills, said:

“Across the country, we’ve seen increasing challenges in recruiting people into the early years’ profession, so we’re delighted to be one of only six authorities to be chosen to take part in this pilot.

“We hope the financial incentive will give people that last bit of encouragement to explore a career in early years.

“We know that there are a number of positions currently available in the borough that need to be filled, with many offering training to get people started.

“Working with young children can be incredibly rewarding and staff can have a profound and long-lasting impact on a child’s life and their school readiness.

“I’d urge anyone interested to speak to our early years team for more information on how the pilot scheme will work.”

Details of current vacancies within Telford and Wrekin can be found online via various job sites, including Indeed, WM jobs and www.gov.uk/find-a-job. People can contact the early years team by calling 01952 385423.