WCUC to launch new courses to upskill health and care professionals

Wiltshire College & University Centre is to launch a number of new courses this summer aimed at upskilling health and care professionals in the area.

The programmes form part of the Swindon & Wiltshire Innovative Technology Care Hub (SWITCH), which is a collaboration between WCUC and New College Swindon. The project is intended to enhance and upskill health and social care staff across Swindon, Wiltshire and beyond.

SWITCH will accelerate skills development in health, care and life science through technical innovation and aims to upskill learners by embedding reality technology to offer unparalleled simulation activities across a broad provision.

To support the provision of the courses, learning hubs are being created within both WCUC and New College Swindon. WCUC’s hub will be based at the Chippenham campus and will offer different courses to New College Swindon.

Courses being offered by WCUC are:

• Infection Control – Level 2: 3-day course from 5 to 7 June
• Mental Health First Aid: 4-day course from 12 to 15 June
• End of Life Care – Level 2: 5-day course from 19 June to 23 June

Before the courses begin, WCUC will be hosting a SWITCH Launch Event on Wednesday 24th May 2023 from 2-4pm at the Chippenham campus.

Anyone from the healthcare sector is invited to attend the event to experience a taster of the interactive technology which will feature in the delivery of the training of our new adult learning offering. This technology includes virtual reality headsets, ECG machines, life-like mannequins and more.

Rose Hitchman, Head of Faculty – Health & Life Sciences at WCUC, said:

“Workers in the health and care sectors play a vital role across our communities and it is important that organisations and employers stay at the forefront of technological and skills developments in this area.

“SWITCH courses at Wiltshire College & University Centre will allow health care professionals to develop their knowledge and skills using immersive technologies, allowing them to learn in simulated risk-free environments before putting them into practice in the workplace.”

SWITCH courses have been designed to meet the training and skills development needs within the health and social care sector, while also providing learners with a greater understanding of long-term health conditions. They will help develop best practice, creative thinking and innovative ideas to help employers in our region remain at the forefront of new technology.

Learners can benefit from flexible modular delivery and a variety of face-to-face, virtual and blended learning. Courses will utilise immersive technologies where students will ‘learn by doing’ rather than by watching, and allow learners to experience risk-free scenarios, from accident management to clinical procedures.