Success story: Social work qualifications plug skills gap

Success story: Cornwall County Council

Summary: Apprenticeships and degrees helping solve recruitment challenges

  • Partner: Cornwall County Council
  • Sector: Public sector, county council in England
  • Challenge: Difficulty recruiting and retaining qualified social workers in a rural location
  • Solution: Flexible social work training through apprenticeships and degrees with The Open University
  • Outcome: Over 100 qualified social workers retained within the council through earn-and-learn routes

Background: Cornwall County Council’s social work shortage

Cornwall County Council faced a growing shortage of qualified social workers — a challenge made more difficult by its rural location and limited access to in-person training. To address this, the council partnered with The Open University to deliver flexible social work training through apprenticeships, undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. The result: a sustainable way to recruit new talent, retain existing staff, and grow its internal workforce.

Flexible, supported learning through apprenticeships and degrees

The council’s programme combined social work apprenticeships, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, all delivered through The Open University’s flexible learning model. This ‘earn and learn’ approach allowed staff to balance study with work and family life, especially important in rural areas with limited access to in-person tuition.

I can access the learning at my pace, at my time.

Vicki Tremayne,
Social Worker, Cornwall County Council

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Results: Attracting and retaining qualified social workers

The proactive approach to building the internal talent pool has very much paid off.

Since launching the programme, the council has over 100 social workers that have graduated and stayed working within the council.

For me, when I finished my apprenticeship there wasn’t really much consideration to work outside of Cornwall Council. I felt I need to give back as much as I can because I’m really grateful.

Lloyd Everington
Social Worker, Cornwall County Council

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