CONGRATULATIONS ON WINNING THE AMBASSADOR OF THE YEAR CATEGORY AT THE SCOTTISH APPRENTICESHIP AWARDS. HOW HAVE YOU INSPIRED OTHERS TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS?
I am delighted to be recognised for such a prestigious award. Embarking on a modern apprenticeship career path in early years has really channelled my passion for childcare and education.
Since starting my own learning journey, I have supported and mentored Foundation Apprentice school pupils. I was approached by Aberlour Futures, an accredited training centre, to help provide support in delivering their Skills for Work in Early Education & Childcare course throughout Covid-19. During this period, students were not able to go on placement into settings. They would still plan learning experiences, but they had to do this remotely and I would carry out the sessions they had planned in the nursery. I would then jump onto Teams calls each week and give feedback about how well the experiences were received. Two of the students from the class actually secured employment with me at Treehouse Early Care and Education Centre and are now undergoing their own apprenticeship journeys.
I now lead the pre-school room at Treehouse Early Care & Education Centre, which is operated by Bright Horizons in partnership with Robert Gordon University. It's a workplace nursery and provides employees and students from the university access to high-quality, affordable childcare that complements their working patterns. There are also spaces in the setting to support families from the local community.
WHEN DID YOU KNOW YOU WANTED TO WORK WITH CHILDREN?
When I was at school, I wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do next. Some of my friends signed up to join the Skills for Work in Early Education & Childcare (National Level 5). I explored this pathway too and was so impressed. I knew I could see myself making a difference and enjoying a career in this area.
WHAT TRAINING ROUTE DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
Aberlour Futures provided me with the training to gain my SVQ Level 3 in Children and Young People and now I am currently training to gain my Level 4 in the same qualification. I have grown in knowledge, experience and confidence in the early years sector through the support of my mentors at Treehouse Early Care & Education Centre and Aberlour Futures staff.
The Modern Apprenticeship route appealed to me because of the opportunity to get hands-on experience at work. I would never have gained the same insights into child development without doing the qualification while I was working. Being part of a team and having people who believe in me improved my confidence – I love to share my enthusiasm for the job with others and support them too.
WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY ABOUT YOUR CURRENT ROLE?
What I enjoy most is that I am able to work alongside the management team on various projects, as well as being part of the team in the room with the children. I am able to gain a wealth of new experience in different areas and able to have those bonds with the children in my care and their families. Every day I look to deliver learning experiences that are tailored towards the children's interests. Through leading the pre-school team, I feel I get to drive best practice in childcare.
We have such a lovely setting and benefit from a large, all-weather garden, which is divided into four different areas for each age and development group. Our large, open-plan three- to five-year-old room has plenty of natural light and space to play and make discoveries. We have a broad range of educational resources to provide unique learning opportunities throughout the day. From messy play and exploring loose parts to cosy storytime in the reading nook and learning about the world through IT and STEM activities.
Wellbeing is at the heart here at Bright Horizons and I feel very supported at work. I’m in a great environment where everyone can flourish.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS TO ATTRACTING MORE MEN INTO THE SECTOR?
I know I work in a predominantly female sector, as I’m sure everyone else is also aware. However, my gender hasn’t stopped me. I don’t feel like my job role, or my own abilities, are any different because I’m male. I feel that it's all about the setting where you are in and the team you are part of that makes a real difference. It's all about finding the right place for you! Which I’m lucky enough to have found. I am so thankful and grateful for everything that all the team at Treehouse have done in supporting me throughout my career over the last five years.
WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS?
My future plans are definitely to keep developing myself through continuous training opportunities such as completing my Level 4. I am working towards a Technical Apprenticeship in Social Services (Children and Young People) and hope to do a BA in Childhood Practice.
I feel that I am fully supported with full and relevant qualifications and that I have a great foundation for onward learning and development.
Bright Horizons invests heavily in providing professional development solutions for everyone. Working for the nursery group, I know I’ll be able to reach my own individual career milestones through gaining new skills and building on existing ones.
As for my longer career progression, I would like to go down the quality side of early years and continue to be a mentor to my colleagues. To be honest, I don’t think I’ll rule anything out at this stage and will give anything a go!
