Apprenticeship Success Stories

Winning Streak

Donna has been rewarded for her achievements at both a regional and national level, winning the Personal Achiever of the Year Award (16 - 18 year olds) at the East Midlands Real Success Apprenticeship Awards. She then went on to receive runner-up in the same category at the National Apprenticeship Awards, hosted by the Learning and Skills Council.

Donna was born profoundly deaf and partially blind and has had to work extremely hard throughout her life to overcome these disabilities and to achieve success in her career.

Donna began her Apprenticeship in Early Years and Education at our Northampton centre in September 2004. She spent six months studying full-time at the centre, before taking up various work experience placements. Her training culminated with full-time employment at NuNu Day Nursery, where she is responsible for looking after babies and young children. As a result of all her hard work and dedication, Donna achieved a level 2 Apprenticeship.

Donna enjoys working with children, particularly as they do not discriminate against her difficulties with communication. She commented "I feel that if I can get to my goal, which is to get to Level 3 with my disabilities, then I feel I have achieved something for myself and others like me."

Donna continues to work at NuNu Day Nursery and is currently working towards her level 3 Apprenticeship. She is also studying a sign language course in her spare time.

Shelly's Success Speaks Volumes

19 year old Shelly has recently been highly commended by the City & Guilds for all of her hard work and her successes. When Shelly came to England from China in April 2003 she was unable to speak any English. She joined the Entry to Employment programme at our Salford centre two years later, with a limited command of the English language. Through hard work and dedication to her training and studies, she now speaks English fluently.

Shelly worked extremely hard to develop her language skills, not only attending our e2e course, but also studying an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) evening class of her own accord. She completed the e2e programme after a year, and progressed to an Apprenticeship in Children's Care, Learning and Development. Throughout her training, Shelly has attended a placement four days a week, at Fledglings Day Nursery, giving her practical experience along with the opportunity to improve her language and communication skills.

Shelly has already completed her key skills and a technical certificate towards her Apprenticeship and was delighted to pass her recent communications test, a real achievement for someone who speaks English as a second language. Shelly is due to finish her Apprenticeship in April 2007.

The written work that Shelly had completed for her Apprenticeship was submitted to the City & Guilds and she was highly commended in recognition of the high quality of the work, particularly in light of the fact that she is not a native English speaker 

Shelly, who has been closely supported by her Training Adviser Anna Siddall throughout her course, commented: "the training has been fantastic and I have made a lot of progress. I received one-to-one support from YMCA Training to help me improve my work."

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