Social work qualifications plug skills gap

Success story: Cornwall County Council

Summary: Qualifications helping solve recruitment challenges

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

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Background: Cornwall Council’s social work shortage

Cornwall 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.

Real learner stories: Building social work careers locally

The flexibility of The Open University's social work qualifications has enabled people from a wide range of backgrounds to train as social workers while continuing to work and manage family commitments. These individual learner journeys demonstrate how Cornwall Council's partnership with The Open University is helping local people build meaningful careers serving their own communities.

Matt: Giving back to the community he calls home

  • Previously worked as a teacher before changing career into social work.
  • Chose the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship to combine practical experience with academic study.
  • Benefits from flexible online learning, reducing the need for long journeys across Cornwall.
  • Passionate about supporting children and families within his local community.

As someone who was born in Cornwall and still lives here, to be able to work in the community I live in and be able to give back to children and families is really important to me.

Matthew Williams,
Social Work Apprentice, Cornwall Council

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Vicki: Achieving a lifelong ambition through flexible learning

  • Always wanted to become a social worker but delayed her career ambitions while raising a family.
  • Completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work through The Open University.
  • Balanced study alongside family life and commitments in a rural farming community.
  • Used flexible distance learning to study at times that suited her lifestyle.

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

Vicki Tremayne,
Social Worker, Cornwall Council

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Lloyd: Developing talent and building loyalty

  • Qualified through Cornwall Council's social work apprenticeship route.
  • Chose to remain with the council after completing his qualification.
  • Represents the success of Cornwall Council's long-term "grow your own" workforce strategy.
  • Highlights the positive impact apprenticeships can have on employee retention.

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 Council

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Hannah: Supported through every stage of the journey

  • Benefited from the combination of academic and practical support provided through The Open University's social work programme.
  • Developed professional skills while learning in a real workplace setting.
  • Demonstrates how employer, university and tutor support work together to help learners succeed.
  • Shows how flexible study can open up opportunities for people pursuing a social work career.

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Conclusion: Attracting and retaining local social work talent

Cornwall Council's partnership with The Open University has created a sustainable pipeline of qualified social workers by removing common barriers to training. Flexible, work-based learning enables people to study around employment and personal commitments while remaining in their local communities.

The impact has been significant. More than 100 social workers have graduated through the council's trainee routes and remained with the organisation, helping to address recruitment challenges while strengthening services for local residents. Learners bring fresh perspectives, new research and current best practice into teams, creating benefits for both the workforce and the communities they serve.

Let's solve your skills challenge together

The Open University has a dedicated team of employer and partnership managers who can work with you to upskill and reskill your teams via a range of courses and programmes.

Whether you are a new business or an established employer, our team has a wealth of sector expertise and experience and can link you with our wider academic community to help to solve your organisation's challenges.

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