A pioneering social care training scheme has begun its second year of graduates intake.
The National Management Trainee Scheme for intake in September 2010 will see 25 private, voluntary and statutory employers host 25 graduates across England. They will work in various roles to develop leadership and management skills needed for a career in social care, the range designed to reflect a career in the sector.
Recent graduates from all disciplines are eligible to apply for the scheme, which saw 20 graduates join up when it was piloted last year. This approach is aimed at attracting graduates who might not previously have considered a career in social care.
The scheme from the National Skills Academy for Social Care is the first national trainee programme devoted to care.
The Department of Health fully supports the scheme, said care services minister Phil Hope. He said it "highlights social care as a career choice and gives it the recognition it deserves as a highly rewarding and attractive profession".
