National Apprenticeship Week - Meet Hayley

Busy Bees is dedicated to delivering early years education that inspires children to foster a lifelong love of learning, and we know that ambition is only possible if we invest in our people.  
This year, we’re creating 500 new apprenticeship roles nationwide - our commitment to nurturing the future pipeline of early years talent. 

Our apprentices play a vital role in shaping children’s formative years, and we’re incredibly proud of their dedication, professionalism and commitment to supporting children’s learning and development. 

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we will be catching up with four of our incredible apprentices who share their journey so far… 

Meet Hayley

Meet Hayley Rawlinson who joined our Telford nursery in 2013 and has recently celebrated achieving her Level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner qualification. Her journey started with a school work experience placement at a local nursery - and that experience made her realise this was the career she wanted. Since then, her confidence has soared, and she continues to thrive in her role, inspiring those around her every day. 

What inspired you to pursue a career in early years education? 

I’ve always enjoyed helping children grow and develop through creative, fun and hands-on activities. When I was at school, I did a work experience placement at a local nursery and realised that’s what I wanted to do. 

What skills have you gained so far? 

Through undertaking the level 5 Early Years Lead Practitioner apprenticeship, I have gained more understanding about theory and legislation and how it’s applied to everyday practice. My confidence has grown so much, and I feel as passionate as ever. Undertaking this apprenticeship has made me realise that I’d love to also take on a development coach role in the future and I’ve made steps to reach that goal.  

Why would you recommend an early years apprenticeship? 

I'd recommend an early years apprenticeship to anyone who wants to fast track their career- learning on the job and getting real hands-on experience from people that have been doing this job for 10+ years. Studying for your own qualification also means that you'd be gaining skills and impacting lives from the very beginning. 

What’s next? 

I’m excited to apply the new skills I have gained to different roles within Busy Bees! I’m constantly learning new things and adapting my knowledge as I go. This has done wonders for my confidence, and I can’t wait to support high-quality practice around the setting.