A Warwickshire nursery director believes apprenticeships are the perfect solution to address the skills shortages affecting employers in the Care and Early Years Sectors.

Dr Abigail Grant-Williams, director of The Tots’ Clubhouse in Atherstone, was among the speakers at the latest Careers Leaders Industry Insights Day, delivered by Warwickshire Careers Hub.

Dr Grant-Williams’ nursery employs 11 staff, many of whom have developed their skills and experience through the apprenticeship route.

“I have found apprenticeships to be the most productive and efficient ways of recruiting and retaining staff because they offer real career progression,” she said. “We always encourage young people to look at the apprenticeship pathways because of the opportunities they bring for career growth. If an apprentice goes through all the levels they can go on to become a teacher.

“We have two members of staff that have just qualified with Level Three, two with Level Two, another Level Two apprentice who is just about to qualify and a Level Five apprenticeship who is looking at progressing into a managerial role and perhaps beyond. Another graduate has just started in the Early Years Initial Teacher Training Programme and is looking to become our teacher.

“There is a clear progression. We demonstrate that they can do teacher training too, so the sky’s the limit and that makes for a healthy relationship between employer and apprentice.”

The benefits of apprenticeships are totally mutual between employee and employer, says Abigail.

“We have found that if we commit to their professional development, and an apprenticeship of 18 months or two years is a commitment from us, then we can mentor them and they learn to do the job in a supported way. They gain because they get a qualification and have an employer who values them, and we gain as a business from their skills. It is a very solid relationship.”

Apprenticeships will be very much in the spotlight next month during National Apprenticeship Week (February 10 to 16) and, as part of the week, Warwickshire Skills Hub will be promoting the Warwickshire County Council Levy Share Programme. This programme is available to all non-Levy paying businesses across the county and allows them to utilise funding for apprenticeship training costs. As more employers are looking to support apprenticeships for their existing staff as well new starters, the number of standards is increasing. This link shows all current available apprenticeships and the associated cost: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/

Warwickshire Skills Hub's Business Skills Support Service Team Manager, Vicki Haslam said: "It can be an overwhelming task to find the most appropriate training route for apprenticeships but it is absolutely worth making the effort because the right apprentice and the right employer is a win-win for both. At Warwickshire Skills Hub, we can do all the hard work for you, putting you in touch with the best training provider to meet your specific business needs."

* To find out how your business could benefit from the support on offer from Warwickshire Skills Hub, please call us on 02476 796461 or request a call from one of our specialist business advisors on skillshub@warwickshire.gov.uk