Routes into social work

Experienced social workers

As an experienced social worker Nottinghamshire offers an excellent opportunity for you to progress. We offer competitive pay, including a market factor supplement in the majority of our teams, various opportunities for progression, and close links with local universities so you can continue your learning and professional development.

Newly qualified social workers

We recruit a large cohort of newly qualified social workers every year, who complete our acclaimed Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme. Joining our programme will provide you with the perfect start to your social work career. We will make sure you have the support and training you need, to get you fully prepared in your crucial first year of practice. Find out more details on our ASYE programme.

We don't advertise specifically for NQSW roles, but our Assessment and Child Protection Social Worker vacancies are open to newly qualified social work graduates - so go to our Assessment & Child Protection vacancy page to find out more about those roles.

Step Up to Social Work – training programme

We are pleased to be part of the Step up to Social Work programme, a bespoke training programme leading to a Post-Graduate Diploma in Social Work (equivalent to MA level).

This programme provides a 14-month intensive hands-on experience, specifically designed as a new way for career changers to train to become qualified social workers. Trainees on this pathway complete a distance learning programme blended with a number of face-to-face academic sessions and work-based placements lasting the majority of the qualification.

For more information and to apply for the Step Up to Social Work

Returning to social work

We are eager to welcome back any experienced professionals who have been out of social work for a few years and are feeling a little rusty. We offer a tailored programme to ensure you can get back up to speed and feel confident before re-entering social work.

Social work apprenticeships

The Institute for Apprenticeships now offers a degree level Social Work Apprenticeship which our experienced staff are invited to access. We select a cohort of staff each year, to undertake the Social Work Apprenticeship, and we see this as an excellent career development opportunity for staff who have been working within the Department, and who have a good level of experience working with children and families – providing them with a career route into social work without needing to attend a full time university course, or give up their income.

Frontline programme

Frontline, a social work charity, operates a training programme which enables people with an existing degree in a relevant field, to access social work training and an MA social work qualification.

The programme is run in partnership with a number of local authorities around the country, including Nottinghamshire, and individuals can apply via the Frontline website.

Participants are placed directly with an employer, and spend most of their time working with that employer, alongside a programme of study, and supported by a social work consultant.

A bursary is paid for those undertaking the Frontline Programme – and you can find out more about this, and the programme itself here

University

A social work degree at university involves either a 3-year (BA) or 2 year (MA) qualification course, with work-based placements in years 2 and 3 for the BA course, and in both years 1 and 2 for the MA course. Degree courses train students to work as a generic social worker allowing students to opt to work in either children’s adults social work. The course content and admissions process may vary slightly from university to university. See below for details of the courses at our local partner universities:

Nottingham Trent University

University of Nottingham

University of Derby

Find out about and apply for MA Social Work at UoD

Nottinghamshire County Council’s Sponsored Social Work Degree

We are excited to be working in partnership with Nottingham Trent University (NTU) at West Nottinghamshire College, Mansfield to sponsor up to ten students on a BA (Hons) Social Work Degree.

The degree is accessible to all students who meet the entry requirements. However successful applicants of the sponsorship will receive:

a bursary to pay the training fees for each year for the three year programme
£2,000 per year contribution towards living expenses
guaranteed employment with Nottinghamshire County Council in Mansfield, Ashfield or Bassetlaw upon successful completion of the training.

You can apply for the sponsorship if:

you live in Nottinghamshire OR you are a Nottinghamshire County Council employee
AND
you agree to work for Nottinghamshire County Council as a social worker for three years after successfully completing the training.

For more information on the NTU criteria and how to apply, please visit: Social Work - NTU in Mansfield BA (Hons) Undergraduate Course | Nottingham Trent University

For further information about the sponsorship please contact Jessica.peach@nottscc.gov.uk

To be considered for the sponsorship you first need to apply for the degree using the NTU link above.