The HDA aims to equip support workers with the skills, techniques, tools, and knowledge to improve their personal confidence and capability, unlock leadership skills, enhance functional and digital skills, and improve the experiences and outcomes of patients, service users and families.
Working with NHS England, the new, relevant and applicable qualification will boost the adult care sector under the Higher Development Award umbrella. This qualifications is well recognised within the NHS and beyond as it is part of City & Guilds, the foremost provider of management qualifications in the UK.
Courses starting in January and April 2026
For those who are looking to develop their skills to the next steps in their careers, aspirational team leaders, mentors and coaches or those in a supervisory position, this course is a starting point for your journey to becoming the manager and leader you want to be. This qualification is a Vocationally Related Qualification (VRQ) that is aimed at a new or aspiring team leaders to support the development of knowledge and skills in leading teams. By undertaking this qualification, you will be developing your skills in leading a team, achieving team and organisational objectives, and contributing to planning problem solving and decision making. You also have the option of completing your Functional Skills qualification alongside this course.
Email K.Nicholson@lmc.ac.uk for more information or complete the enquiry form below
Our third Higher Development Award cohort have just finished and we are busy getting ready to greet our fourth!
The Higher Development Award is designed to support those working alongside the NHS in and around Lancaster and Morecambe. It offers full funded opportunities to upskill clinical and non-clinical support staff, helping build confidence, leadership, and professional capability. The programme is suitable for people at all stages of their careers.
I’ve seen first hand how learners from all backgrounds thrive here at College, and it’s amazing to watch their confidence grow as they realise what they’re capable of. Education really can open doors, and LMC is a great place to start that journey.
As soon as interviewed, I knew I was keen to work here. I loved the atmosphere of the classrooms and the department that John and the rest of the team have created. One of my favourite things about the role is getting to talk about my passion, it’s not often people get to do that for a living. I’m very lucky!
It’s really difficult to state just one thing I love about working at Lancaster & Morecambe College because there are so many! I really wanted to work here because the college has a fantastic reputation. I love introducing new ways of working and keeping up with relevant trends to improve the course, and I really enjoy the supportive environment that we create for our students.
In my role as a course tutor I’m responsible for ensuring that my students develop in many areas, and not just Hairdressing. I like to encourage my students to improve their well-being as well as support them with their personal development and learning journey, to gain the knowledge to be successful within their course to achieve the qualifications they need to progress in the industry.
I would say that Hospitality & Catering industry isn’t an easy option, but it can be really rewarding and enjoyable if you work hard at it. It also has excellent job prospects at the end of the course, as the majority of our completing students gain full time employment within high class establishments
Behind every great business is a fantastic accountant! AAT qualifications are highly valued and they can really push you to achieve great things in your career. The whole team at LMC are dedicated and excited about giving you the best possible start in your new journey!
My role is to work alongside the tutors and students to ensure the work placements are secured, completed and recorded in line with procedural requirements. This is a simple description, as there is a lot of work behind the scenes to ensure this happens! I see good communication, administration, attention to detail and patience as key attributes of the role.
I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experience of animals with students and seeing a learners journey as they make progress. The best part of teaching the course would definitely be the experience we offer learners, it's a unique and hands on way of developing their knowledge of working with animals.
The vocational skills development we offer at College are exceptional. The partners we work with are excellent and will help the students to develop further, as well as the opportunities we provide such as the Alicante trip are amazing, and you would struggle to find another college or sixth form that offers similar opportunities.
I would recommend LMC as a fantastic place to study sport and continue your development and interests in football. Your studies link to your football development as much as possible, helping you gain the knowledge, skills and experiences to pursue a career in sport in the future.
My favourite part of this role is working with such an amazing team here at Lancaster & Morecambe College, and also being able to pass on my industry knowledge to all my students and support them in their journey to becoming a Beauty Therapist.
Welding particularly is like lego for adults – its great fun making things. Whereas Engineering will teach you why things are made the way they are and a combination of both will give you the skills to make almost anything you can think of! Why not give it a go!
I really enjoy being part of the LMC Beauty Team and working within the department. Watching my students grow and develop their ideas and skillsets week on week is a really exciting part of my role, particularly when I can see them challenging themselves to get creative and try out new and different ideas.
My favourite part of the role is guiding my students through the more practical aspects of Forensic Science, especially latent fingerprint collection and evidence handling. I enjoy watching them develop their confidence and skills in these techniques
Whether you're confident that you want to be a plumber/gas engineer, think you want to try your hand at it, or have no idea what you want to do - plumbing or gas work is an excellent asset for anyone to have. They're both great career options, loved by foreign countries if you're looking to travel, or at the very least will save you some money on a plumber in the future no matter what you end up doing!













