Introducing Swift’s Level 3 Early Year Educator Diploma
At Swift, we’re committed to offering flexible and effective training solutions for your team. That’s why we’re excited to introduce our new Level 3 Early Years Educator Diploma, designed as a great alternative to our apprenticeship programme.
While it’s a commercially paid course, we believe it’s virtually cost-neutral compared to an apprenticeship. The shorter completion time means your employees can qualify faster and begin applying their new skills in the workplace sooner.
This option provides the same high-quality training and support, giving you the flexibility to choose the best path for your team’s development.
A Flexible Approach to Training
The Level 3 Early Years Educator Diploma offers a completely flexible approach to training, by eliminating the legal requirements tied to apprenticeships.
This means much of the training is completed outside of working hours, keeping disruption to your staffing and ratios to a minimum.
Additionally, you pay for the training on a monthly basis, which means that, if the learner leaves your employment, payments stop immediately, giving you peace of mind and financial flexibility.
Training Schedule and Requirements
Throughout the 10-month course, we offer a range of flexible training options to suit different schedules, ensuring the learning process is as convenient and effective as possible. Sessions are available on a bi-weekly basis, allowing you to choose the format that works best for you:
- Within working hours: Training sessions held during standard working hours, reducing disruption and fitting seamlessly into the workday.
- Twilight sessions: Designed to provide support outside of regular working hours, reducing the impact on the workday and allowing learners to balance training with their work commitments.
- Impact sessions: One-to-one personalised support sessions designed to offer extra guidance and address specific needs, ensuring every learner has the opportunity to excel.
This flexible approach helps balance the demands of work and learning, making it easier for participants to stay on track and complete the programme successfully.
Cost & Comparison
Example
The cost of the course is £3,000.
Let’s do the comparison…
An average apprenticeship lasts 13 months. During this time, the apprentice needs to attend circa 350 hours of off-the-job learning, reviews, and more if there is a Functional Skill requirement.
In comparison, the Level 3 Early Year Educator Diploma lasts only 10 months, with a significant reduction in the time the learner is ‘off the job’.
The difference in cost is balanced out by this saving in time, making the extra cost to you, as the employer, approximately the same*.
* Dependent on the rate you would be paying an apprentice.

Co-funding is also
an Option
Some of our clients choose to co-fund the training through a salary sacrifice scheme, where the employee contributes towards the cost. In some cases, training costs are refunded by the employee if they leave before an agreed period.
This arrangement would need to be discussed and agreed with each individual employee, but please note we cannot provide specific legal advice on this matter.
Thanks to the great team at Swift. I know exactly where to go if I need support not just with the course but also personal concerns!
APPRENTICE

Let's Talk
West & East Midlands
(Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford-On-Avon, Warwick District, Worcestershire, Coventry, Leamington Spa)
Leicester
(Loughborough, Oadby, Claredon Park, Aylestone, Evinton, Knighton, Wigston, Blaby, Church Langton)
Nottingham
(Aspley, Bakersfield, Basford, Bilborough, Broxtowe, Carrington)
jessicaj@swiftcc.co.uk | 0121 594 0459
London
East London
(Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Westminster, Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest)
ll@swiftcc.co.uk | 07773 160525
West London
(Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kensington, Chelsea, Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Lambeth, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth, Watford)
peterb@swiftcc.co.uk I 0203 921 0491
Any Feedback?