Karl Watts, South Devon College student Source: South Devon College A college in Devon has become the first in England to be approved by the nursing regulator to provide a nursing associate training programme. The Nursing and Midwifery Council has granted South Devon College with approved education institution status (AEI). “I hope they will be the first of many colleges seeking direct approval to run a nursing associate programme” Alexander Rhys This means it has become the first further education college in the country to be able to run the nursing associate programme in its own right. Since the creation of the role in 2019, more than 4,100 nursing associates have been trained at AEIs.