Devon and Cornwall is one of the first regions in the UK to be selected for a nursery training programme that will help address a surge in demand for childcare.

More than 100 new nursery workers are set to be created across the counties.

Skills Bootcamps, delivered by Realise, the UK's leading early years training provider, will create 70 new recruits in Devon and 33 in Cornwall.

The counties were identified as having particular demand for new sector recruits.

This demand is set to surge with the extension of 15 hours of government-funded childcare support to eligible working parents of children aged 9 months to 3 years.

The online Skills Bootcamps can be completed in as little as six weeks.

They are free for individuals not currently employed in early years and open to anyone over 19.

Individuals completing the Skills Bootcamp will be guaranteed a job interview with a local nursery and will be eligible to begin a Level 3 apprenticeship upon securing employment.

Karen Derbyshire, operations director for early years at Realise, said: "With the number of children eligible for free childcare set to grow substantially, it’s more important than ever to not only attract new people to the industry but to get them progressing through appropriate training.

"The need for more nursery practitioners in Devon and Cornwall has been identified and we are delighted to be supporting this programme.

"The Skills Bootcamps are a real opportunity for people who are currently unemployed, in another job but looking for a new career or people who have worked in early years previously and are now looking to return to the sector."

Participants will also have access to career coaches and begin the process of receiving enhanced DBS checks during the training.

For more information, visit the Realise website.