A leading childcare training provider celebrated the achievements and dedication of their apprenticeship graduates with a prestigious award ceremony.
Busy Bee Training, recently held the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham to recognise the inspiration work of over 100 apprentices within 238 Busy Bees nurseries across the UK, who have completed their qualification in the last 12 months.
Kirsty Williams, 23, from Busy Bees at Farnborough QineticQ, was the recipient of the Advanced Apprentice of the Year: “I honestly did not expect to win. I couldn’t have got here without my trainer, Amy. She’s been such an amazing support throughout my apprenticeship and has really been patient with me.
“I would say for anyone doing an apprenticeship just keep going, even when you find it hard. Everyone around you really wants you to do well so just go for it and enjoy the experience.”
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Earlier this month, the government accepted that the achievement of GCSE English and Maths grade A to C will be a requirement on exit rather than on entry to support young people with their numeracy and literacy skills.
Children presenter, Cerrie Burnell who was the guest speaker at the Busy Bee event: “I think it’s important to recognise the value of what a nursery practitioner can bring to a child, such as learning through play, all of the joy, all of the security and actually all of that reassurance to the mother or father, is just as invaluable as having a happy home. If you know that your child is happy in their childcare, then you as the parent can relax in the knowledge that your child is receiving the best care available.
“I went back to work when my daughter was 3 months old and, as a single parent, I have always had to work. I am very lucky to be able to say that I love my job, so I really value how important good childcare is to the whole family setup, as well as the development of a child. It is really integral to the foundation of a happy family.”
Ellesse Pearce, 20, from Bristol Emersons Green, who won the Outstanding Achievement Award, said she was “surprised” by the nomination and praised Busy Bee Training for the ongoing support.
“It’s nice to know that the work that I do at the nursery doesn’t go unnoticed and that you are rewarded for offering care above and beyond what is expected of you.
“I am currently completing my Children and Young People’s Workforce Level 3 apprenticeship qualification and if there is the opportunity available I would like to go on to do my Level 3 Management apprenticeship. I am really passionate about childcare, as I used to teach dance and cheerleading to children, so it has always been my long-term career plan to do work in this sector and I want to continue working hard and getting as much experience as I can.”
The government ambitions to deliver 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020 were boosted with the creation of a new Advisory Board, that will report to Skills Minister Nick Boles MP, and work directly with the National Apprenticeship Service to stimulate interest in, and take up of apprenticeships. It will be jointly chaired by David Meller and Richard Harrington MP, the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Apprenticeships.
Busy Bees Managing Director, Marg Randles, spoke about why it was important to invest in people and highlighted the value apprenticeships bring to the wider workforce across all businesses in the UK.
“Our company is all about the people that work within it, and running apprenticeships is a way of being able to shape them and mould the raw talent that they already have to produce exceptional care for all of our children.
“You can’t teach the ability to work in childcare, we just hope to inspire them and motivate them. For a 16 year old, the responsibility and dedication to work in childcare is huge. We have to nurture that dedication so it is a rewarding experience for them, and the children in our care enjoy their experience with us each day and parents to feel confident in the care that we provide.”
She added: “For this company to succeed, we absolutely need the very best people. Right from opening our very first nursery, we have never lost the ambition to deliver the same quality childcare we would want to give to our own children, and that is done through the people that works for us.
“My one message today would be to remember that you can do anything you want and be anything that you want to be.”
