Mums! Get ready for a new career with NCT and University of Worcester!

If you’re looking for a rewarding job you can fit around your family, or are thinking about returning to study or work after having a baby, a change of career to become an NCT practitioner could be just what you need.

NCT, the UK’s largest charity for parents, and the University of Worcester have joined forces to provide university-accredited training for those wanting to support parents on their journey from pregnancy to parenthood by becoming an NCT practitioner.

NCT College admissions are open for courses beginning in September 2012. There’s no better training if you want to build up a rewarding and enjoyable career working with parents at a unique and important time in their lives.

NCT is well-known for the information and support its practitioners provide through antenatal courses, breastfeeding counselling and facilitated postnatal groups, enabling parents to feel more confident and prepared for their new role.

The courses allow students to learn through a mixture of tutorials, one-to-one time with tutors and online learning. With tutorials run across the UK and study days hosted regionally, students can complete the majority of their studies without the need to travel to Worcester. This flexibility is ideal if you’re looking for a career you can juggle around a young family, and the varied syllabus offers plenty of choice depending on your interests and aspirations.

One NCT antenatal teacher, Fiona, said: “For me, my NCT work fits around the needs of my teenage boys. The training is very comprehensive, diverse and interesting and of a very high standard. I also love getting together with other practitioners and sharing ideas. I have a job I can do around my family and earn a decent hourly wage.”

The new Certificate of Higher Education – Birth and Beyond Practitioner, completed over one or two years, is the only university-accredited qualification for parenting education. Qualifying students can then begin a year of probationary practice, delivering innovative Preparation for Birth and Beyond (PBB) courses based on the Department of Health’s new framework. So, you can start earning an income from your new knowledge and skills right away.

Students can then choose from a range of modules from the Foundation Degree course. Will you train as an antenatal teacher, breastfeeding counsellor, postnatal leader or NCT Doula? Or perhaps you’d be more interested in running NCT Yoga for Pregnancy classes.

In the climate of an ever-increasing birth rate and overstretched maternity services, there could not be a better time to build a fulfilling career as an NCT practitioner working alongside midwives and other health professionals to support new and expectant parents. As one of the UK’s largest network of practitioners working with new and expectant parents, students are supported to find work quickly and easily through the charity’s national operation.

Clea Harmer, Education Manager at NCT, said: “We’re delighted to offer a range of exciting opportunities through NCT College. The varied training programme allows students to specialise in a wide range of areas, while the flexibility means they can fit their learning around families and potentially be earning an income after one year. So if you’re interested in a new career making a real difference to new parents, come and join us at NCT College.”

Professor Geoffrey Elliott Director of Regional Engagement at the University of Worcester at the University of Worcester, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to work with NCT to help parents in their transition to parenthood and will do all we can to help the country’s parents and children get off to the best possible start.”

If you are interested in finding out more about our training or a career working with new parents, visit http://www.nct.org.uk/nct-college for more information about the full range of courses on offer.