Samantha Williams

Samantha Williams, 20, Accrington Nursery Nurse at Countryfields Nursery, Blackburn Attended: St Augustine’s RC High School, Billington, Clitheroe Learning provider: Blackburn College Training Qualifications: NVQ Levels 2 & 3 in Early Years Care and Education Completed Advanced Apprenticeship in Early Years and Education in January 2005	How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme? I found out about the opportunities available through the Apprenticeship programme from my Careers Adviser. Why an Apprenticeship? I didn’t really enjoy school and left before I sat my GCSEs. I knew that I wanted to work with children, and the Apprenticeship gave me the chance to learn on the job, and only go to college one day a week. The thought of having my independence and earning a wage at the age of 16 also appealed to me. A Day in the Life We look after children from the age of 4 months up to pre-school, so every day is different, with new challenges – it is always very busy! The day starts at 7.30am when the children are dropped off by their parents. The morning is then broken down into group activities, when I might read the children a story, followed by serving them a snack and outdoor play. The rest of the morning combines free-play, such as sand and water play, with a range of activities such as number work and writing. We serve lunch at 12 o’clock, and the afternoon is a mixture of planned activity and free-play. The children start to go home from 4.30pm. A large part of my job involves planning what the children will do each day and coming up with creative ideas to keep them happy and occupied while they are at the nursery. What Skills have you learnt? Doing the Apprenticeship has helped me learn how to do my job well, and gain experience of being in a work environment. As well as learning how to interact with the children and plan their activities, I have learnt valuable workplace skills like working as part of a team and communication skills. I am definitely a different person than I was when I started on the Apprenticeship. When I left school I wasn’t sure what the future would hold for me, but I now look forward to the future with a positive attitude, knowing that I have both the experience and qualifications to succeed in my role.	Best bit I love seeing the children develop and grow as they move through the nursery and feeling that I have played a part in their progress. Worst bit I enjoy every aspect of the job, so there is nothing I don’t like about it. Ambition/Future Career Plan Now that I have achieved my Apprenticeship, I want to concentrate on widening my experience by getting involved in different areas of the nursery – but I never want to stop working with the children! What do you think of the Apprenticeship programme? Being on an Apprenticeship gives you the best of both worlds. You still get the chance to learn the theory behind the job, but this is backed up by real work experience. Knowing that I have done the job for four year now and have achieved qualifications that are recognised by employers has really improved my self-esteem and given me the confidence to get on in my career. Her Employer says Zena Ward, Manager at Countryfields Nursery comments, “Samantha is a fabulous Nursery Assistant. She joined us shortly after she had achieved her Apprenticeship so came to us with in-depth experience and qualifications to do the job. She has brought lots of fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the nursery and is already a valued member of our team. “Samantha is a glowing example of the success of the Apprenticeship programme. It ensures that young people are equipped with essential skills to undertake their job effectively and allows employers to tailor the on the job training to meet the specific needs of their businesses. In a highly regulated industry, it is vital that all our staff are qualified to comply with national standards, and the Apprenticeship programme ensures that young people meet these demands and much more!”

How did you find out about the Apprenticeship programme?

I found out about the opportunities available through the Apprenticeship programme from my Careers Adviser.

Why an Apprenticeship?

I didn’t really enjoy school and left before I sat my GCSEs. I knew that I wanted to work with children, and the Apprenticeship gave me the chance to learn on the job, and only go to college one day a week. The thought of having my independence and earning a wage at the age of 16 also appealed to me.

A Day in the Life

We look after children from the age of 4 months up to pre-school, so every day is different, with new challenges – it is always very busy!

The day starts at 7.30am when the children are dropped off by their parents. The morning is then broken down into group activities, when I might read the children a story, followed by serving them a snack and outdoor play. The rest of the morning combines free-play, such as sand and water play, with a range of activities such as number work and writing.

We serve lunch at 12 o’clock, and the afternoon is a mixture of planned activity and free-play. The children start to go home from 4.30pm. A large part of my job involves planning what the children will do each day and coming up with creative ideas to keep them happy and occupied while they are at the nursery.

What Skills have you learnt?

Doing the Apprenticeship has helped me learn how to do my job well, and gain experience of being in a work environment. As well as learning how to interact with the children and plan their activities, I have learnt valuable workplace skills like working as part of a team and communication skills.

I am definitely a different person than I was when I started on the Apprenticeship. When I left school I wasn’t sure what the future would hold for me, but I now look forward to the future with a positive attitude, knowing that I have both the experience and qualifications to succeed in my role.