Member Article

Tessa's timely success marks National Apprenticeship Week

A North East woman, who has been looking for a job since leaving college, has good reason to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2016 in style (14th – 18th March 2016). Tessa Hammerberg has just been rewarded with an apprenticeship of her own and the news could not have come soon enough for the 21-year-old from North Shields.

Tessa finished her education and dreamed of finding a job at a nursery, but her attempts to kick-start her career were met with rejections until she turned to local skills specialists Ingeus for support. Now, Tessa has just started earning and learning at Kids 1st Nursery on the new Quorum Business Park, north of Newcastle.

“Being unemployed was a very difficult time for me, especially as all my friends seemed to have jobs. But with the help I received from Ingeus, I took the leap and it all seems to be working out really well.”

Tessa’s days at Kids 1st Nursery are packed full with caring for young children, ensuring their needs are met and that those in her care experience creative play. Her apprenticeship will last for 18 months and at the end she will be formally qualified with a Level 3 certificate in nursery nursing. “I’ll then have a range of options, and can either stay in employment or use my qualification to help me study further.”

Ingeus connects with a host of North East businesses and offers a broad range of apprenticeships, many of which are aimed at 18-to-24 year olds. “Our role is to work with employers to help identify opportunities, but our bottom line is that each apprenticeship must be structured around the needs of the individual and offer real prospects of learning and a future career,” said Emma Daniels, Ingeus’s apprenticeship development manager. “Alongside this we help young people to understand the apprenticeship system and how it can really open up bright futures, and our tutors monitor and facilitate the development of our apprentices.”

Sandra Zaferani, nursery manager from Kids 1st Nursery said, “As a responsible employer we aim to help the next generation of nursery assistants as they develop into confident and capable colleagues. Offering an apprenticeship is a great way of assessing if an individual has the right mix of skills and maturity. We share with Ingeus a real commitment to ensuring Tessa experiences the full range of roles and responsibilities of working in a busy nursery and we’re confident that, with careful monitoring and encouragement, she has the potential to become an excellent nursery assistant or nursery nurse.”

“Looking after children is not always easy and the responsibilities are huge,” added Tessa. “However, I’m not afraid of this, and my job is proving to be everything I hoped it would be. I’m proud to be a nursery apprentice, I know I’ve made the right move and I really am loving every minute of my job!”

National Apprenticeship Week is the catalyst for hundreds of events taking place across England. The week, which is co-ordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, is designed to celebrate success and the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the economy.

For further information on Ingeus’s training and recruitment services visit www.ingeus.co.uk/training

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ingeus .