As the UK’s largest childcare provider, Busy Bees people are passionate about delivering early years education that empowers and inspires children to create their own futures.
Published: 07/02/2023
So it is vital that our teams receive the training and development they need to build their own careers and to support our vision: to give children the best start in life.
Every year we welcome more apprentices into our nurseries, empowering them to become the world-class educators of the future.
As part of National Apprenticeship Week, we caught up with trainee childcare practitioner Ellie Pratt, to ask how she had enjoyed her apprenticeship journey.
Ellie joined our Portishead nursery in 2021 after completing her A levels. Since then, she has completed her Level 2 qualification and is now working towards her Level 3 in Childcare and Education.
She says: “Working with children had always been an interest and felt like a natural progression for me, moving into the world of work.
“The apprenticeship appealed to me as I wanted to get a qualification whilst ‘learning on the job’. The course seemed a good way to develop my knowledge of childcare and offer career progression in the future.”
“I look after the babies who are under two years old, which is a brilliant age because you get to see how their characters are developing as they change into little people,” says Ellie.
“It is so interesting to watch a little person discover the world – from learning how to walk, to feeding themselves and forming words. It really is amazing to see them grow and rewarding knowing that you play a part in giving the children the best start in life.”
“The day is very hands-on, and I really enjoy it. As well as sorting feeds and nap times, we organise different activities each day that will support the children’s learning and growth.
“After six months of training I was given a key child – one child that I am responsible for – so I’m working closely with the child’s parents to make sure I’m planning activities to meet their individual developmental needs.”
“I have one half-day a week out of the nursery to complete my apprenticeship coursework. I love being able to work and learn at the same time. It means you can see the theory in practice and learn how to deal with real-life situations.”
“In terms of qualifications, it’s possible to go into a childcare apprenticeship without having any prior experience as you will learn on the job really quickly.
“I would urge anyone wanting to work in the childcare industry to just go for it! You will learn as you go and your day-to-day responsibilities quickly become a natural routine for you and the children you are responsible for.
“Working at Busy Bees is a lot of fun as you get to work with young children and support them as they grow. It is so rewarding and there is always something that will make you laugh every single day!”
To find out more about the apprenticeship scheme at Busy Bees and how to apply, please visit: www.busybeestraining.co.uk/apprenticeships or drop into your local Busy Bees nursery to pick up a recruitment pack.
To learn more about working at Busy Bees and view all current vacancies please visit https://www.busybeeschildcare.co.uk/working-at-busy-bees.