UniversidaddeCádiz

The training will be delivered in collaboration with the Professional Association of Social Work of Cádiz, will start on 4 February, and will have a total duration of 75 hours.

The University of Cádiz has launched a new university micro-credential entitled Professional strengthening in social and communication skills for the care of older adults and/or dependent persons, a training programme aimed at enhancing the qualifications of professionals and students in the social and healthcare fields who work, or wish to work, in care and support contexts for people in situations of dependency. The programme is being delivered in collaboration with the Professional Association of Social Work of Cádiz and will begin on 4 February.

This 75-hour micro-credential responds to the growing demand for specialised training in a sector facing complex challenges related to population ageing, disability care, and the need to provide person-centred interventions. The programme is specifically designed for those who work, or aspire to work, in social, healthcare or community care settings and seek to improve their communication and relational skills in professional practice.

The course focuses on the development of essential social and communication skills for the care of people who require support and assistance, whether in home-based care, residential centres, day centres or services managed by social organisations. These settings require specialised strategies, primarily communicative in nature, to address complex situations, sometimes involving conflict or risk, from a professional, empathetic and effective perspective.

Throughout the micro-credential, participants will address content related to clinical aspects, emotional management, organisational issues and teamwork dynamics, all of which are key elements for coordinated and high-quality intervention. The programme also includes an analysis of the new regulatory frameworks governing the support and care of older adults, people with disabilities and/or dependent persons, providing an updated framework that strengthens professional practice.

The micro-credential, for which enrolment is currently open, is aimed at graduates in Social Work, Social Education, Psychology and Occupational Therapy, as well as fourth-year students in these degree programmes who wish to deepen their transversal competencies directly applicable to their future professional careers. It is also addressed to professionals holding technical qualifications in the social and healthcare fields, such as advanced vocational training programmes in Social Integration or Sociocultural and Tourism Animation.

Access to this training is also open to individuals with intermediate vocational qualifications in Auxiliary Nursing Care, Emergency Medical Services or Care for Dependent Persons, provided they hold the corresponding professional certificates. These professional profiles typically work in areas such as primary and specialised healthcare, medical transport, telecare services, home care services, residential care facilities for older adults or people with disabilities, and special education, settings in which communication skills are decisive for delivering quality care.

Micro-credentials are short, intensive and certified training actions designed to acquire highly specific competencies within a particular field. Unlike undergraduate or master’s degrees, these programmes have a limited duration (between 25 and 375 hours), are organised in a modular format, and allow participants to specialise in a specific area without enrolling in traditional degree programmes.

They are aimed both at individuals who have completed their university studies and at active professionals, unemployed persons or individuals with previous work experience who need to reskill or update their knowledge. In many cases, these courses are closely linked to strategic sectors for the province of Cádiz and its surrounding area, such as the industrial, port, healthcare, environmental or technological sectors.