Online education provider The Skills Network has launched a government-funded, four-week early years Skills Bootcamp.

The intensive online-only course is available across England and runs alongside the company’s 12-week Skills Bootcamp which launched earlier this year.

Skills Bootcamps are designed to address local employment requirements and provide new career opportunities within early years education.

The intensive course aims to reduce the length of study time and equip participants to progress onto an accelerated Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship or work in an unqualified position within a nursery, preschool or reception class setting. Students cover four units including child development, health and wellbeing in an early years setting, safeguarding and child protection, and equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Wendy Dodson, partnerships director, Skills Bootcamps, at The Skills Network, said: “This accelerated course will open the door to even more people benefitting from this completely free way of accessing the necessary skills required to begin a career in the early years sector. The new four-week course is the ideal choice for individuals who are currently unemployed and wish to study during the day, allowing them to speed up the process of getting into the industry.”