Oxford International Education Group Launches Vocational Programmes to Address UK’s Care Worker Shortage

Oxford International Education Group (OIEG) has today announced the launch of its adult social care vocational training programmes in the UK, in a bid to address the country’s growing shortage of adult care workers. Currently, over half a million people in the UK are without necessary care support according to the latest NHS Adult Social Care Statistics.

The Diploma in Adult Social Care (Level II qualification) provides an entry-level qualification in health and social care for those already working in a care setting or who can secure a work placement in the UK or their home country. The Diploma can be taken remotely, asynchronously with tutor supervision and requires a work placement in a care setting, supervised by an approved mentor/ assessor.
The Professional Diploma in Adult Social Care (Level III qualification, Foundation level) course is delivered at the Oxford International Pathway Centres in London (Greenwich) and Oxford. It combines face-to-face tuition with a placement within a care setting, secured by Oxford International.
Upon successful completion of either the Diploma or the Professional Diploma, students are eligible to apply for a UK skilled worker visa (health & care worker visa), with Diploma graduates being eligible for more junior and Professional Diploma graduates being eligible for more senior roles within adult social care settings.

Both courses are accredited by City and Guilds.

The move comes as part of OIEG’s strategic expansion into vocational training both via its multi-articulation pathway colleges, and via its online Digital Institute. The announcement follows OIEG’s successful launch of similar vocational programmes in the care sector in Canada.

Gary Palmer, Managing Director of Oxford International Education Group’s Digital Institute, commented – “The UK is at a crunch-point: the bottom line is that we simply do not have enough people entering the health and social care sector as a profession and our most vulnerable citizens are missing out on the care they need. Through this course offering, we’re not only doing our part in tackling this urgent issue, but also helping an increased number of local and international students with their professional development.”

Lil Bremermann-Richard, CEO of Oxford International Education Group, said – “Launching these accredited vocational courses in the UK, particularly with scholarship options available, is a huge milestone for us. The programmes are designed with academic and professional achievement in mind and we’re extremely proud to be giving more students the opportunity to build a fulfilling career in the UK.”