Health and social care settings in Greater Manchester are set to benefit from a new training programme that aims to upskill more than 200 workers in the sector.

Health and care workers are being given the chance to progress their careers at now cost to themselves by completing the Diploma Level 3 qualification.

The scheme will be delivered by training provider Realise as part of Greater Manchester’s Adult Skills (GMCA) Level 3 Targeted Offer.

The GMCA programme will deliver Level 3 training to 4,000 residents across multiple sectors, including manufacturing, professional services, digital and creative retail and hospitality and logistics.

The Adult Care Diploma, which takes between eight and nine months to complete, is open to anyone working in health and social care over the age of 19, with a Greater Manchester postcode and without an existing Level 3 qualification, such as a diploma, apprenticeship or A Levels.

Unemployed learners and those working but earning below the Greater Manchester Combined Authority low wage threshold are also eligible, even if they already hold a Level 3 qualification.

The course is fully funded and provides the opportunity to focus on specialisms including autism and dementia.

Adrian Grove, sales director and lead for health and social care for Realise, said: “One of the main challenges facing the health and social care sector at present is the high number of vacancies being recruited for, with some national estimates putting that figure as high as 160,000.

“Part of those recruitment challenges are the lack of a clear career pathway for support workers and senior support workers to progress. The diploma we are delivering is designed to offer precisely that progression.”

The aim of the programme is to train support workers to enable them to take up leadership roles and deliver effective guidance and training at the frontline of care delivery.

Sessions will be delivered both inside and outside of the candidate’s current working environment through a combination of online webinar training, face-to-face visits and observations. Each learner will be supported with a dedicated trainer.