Can you talk about your background and what led you to become a trainer?
I knew from a very young age that I wanted to work in early years, so I chose child development as one of my GCSE’s. From here I then stayed on at sixth form to retake my Maths and during this, I also completed my Level 2 health and social care qualification before finding a local nursery where I completed my L2 and L3 apprenticeship. Once I was qualified, I started working in another local nursery as a room leader where I spent the next 5 years supporting a number of children and managing a team of about 6 staff members. It was at this point; that I wanted to extend my knowledge and look at my options for progressing but still stay within the early years sector. During my apprenticeships, I looked up to my assessor and she was my inspiration, so I decided to give assessing a go and I have never looked back since!
What is a common challenge apprentices face, and how do you help them overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges that early year’s apprentices come across is the lack of time to complete their coursework due to the requirement of ratios and lack of staff across the sector. I encourage my learners to understand if from this perspective and most of the time their understanding of this and passion to work with children outweighs this hurdle. The quicker they become qualified, the more they can help out and make a difference to future apprentices.
How do you tailor your training methods to meet the diverse needs of different apprentices?
When working in childcare, one of the most important parts of this role is to keep children safe but to also value individual needs and preferences. This is no different for us a training providers, our learners are valued no matter what their individual circumstances are. We work on an individual basis to get to know our learners and tailor their training to meet their needs and preferences. This process starts right from the initial contact we have and continues through regular reviews and communication. When learners feel valued, they can flourish and grow to the best of their ability.
What do you enjoy most about being a trainer, both professionally and personally?
Being a trainer is so rewarding! Watching learners grow and flourish through the duration of their training is the best part of my job. It gives me great pleasure to see individuals grow in confidence not only in their professional job role but personally.
Can you share a success story from your experience training apprentices?
One of my biggest achievements is being nominated and winning the Aspire company award for going above and beyond call of duty. I feel so privileged and lucky to work for a great company that values their employee’s hard work!
Want to know more?
Still curious? find out about another one of our incredible trainers, read about our Level 1 Managers story here: Becky Pratten’s Work Experience Success Story! – Aspire Training Team