The government has launched a digital and social media campaign to promote early years apprenticeships.

The Department for Education (DfE) campaign aims to raise awareness of Early Years Educator apprenticeships, showcase how varied and rewarding a career in early years and childcare can be, and highlight the added benefits of the Level 3 apprenticeship route. 

The social media adverts will run until mid-December 2023 and will be followed up by a larger scale multi-media campaign from early 2024.  They aim to appeal to young people, particularly 16- to 24-year-old females, and 31- to 44-year-old mothers of school -aged children. All campaign advertising signposts to the government’s Early Years Educator page, where those interested can find out more about apprenticeships.

The DfE has produced a toolkit with a selection of social media graphics that organisations can use in their own social media channels as well as a recruitment guide which includes apprentice case studies.

The Old Station Nursery Group’s HDC Nurseries was one of eight nursery groups recognised as outstanding apprenticeship employers in the latest government rankings, published in July.

“Recruitment is one of the biggest challenges that the early years sector faces, so we welcome any support that the DfE provides,” said Sarah Steel, The Old Station Nursery chair, “The NDNA has already launched a very successful ‘First Five Years’ campaign and this can only help as well. We rely on recruiting good apprentices into the sector, so we will certainly use this toolkit to support recruitment.”