2023 Apprenticeship Awards

Since enrolling on the Traineeship programme Lucy has impressed, she progressed quickly and was able to undertake a work experience at the Beach House Nursery Rhyl, such was the impression Lucy made after a few weeks she was offered an apprenticeship there.

Lucy has spina bifida but has proven herself to have very good ability within the sector, and she continues to impress.

Louise Macabre-Allen from Beach House commented:

“Lucy has grown and grown in confidence during these three weeks. The way she is now interacting with the children is fantastic. She sees what needs doing and is undertaking tasks without having to be asked to.

“When we had our unannounced inspection by our regulators, the Care Inspectorate Wales, the inspector was astonished to find out that Lucy was a student as she behaved and acted as you would expect a permanent member of staff to do.

“She accompanied a group to the Seaquarium and demonstrated great maturity and ability while she was out with the children and staff members.”

Katie started a Traineeship in October 2020 following a referral by Careers Wales, she’d had a difficult time at school and it was an opportunity for her to try an alternative route into employment.

When she started it was a challenging transition, Katie had had to cope with a number of personal problems that caused a great deal of stress and contributed to many of the difficulties she has had to deal with and overcome.

The Traineeship wasn’t easy, there was a lot of work to do on behaviour and mindset however, Katie, her family and the team persevered and she has been able to gain skills thanks to her personal commitment and a supportive team around her.

Over the past 13 months Katie has improved beyond recognition from the Katie that first walked through the door. Her attendance and punctuation is second to none as is her attitude, she will progress positively to employment.

Ben came to the Traineeship programme having finished school without career direction or a clear pathway. During initial discussions with Ben, it became clear he has a passion for sport and education and already has skills suited to these areas. He excelled amongst his peers and thrived in the field of sport delivery.

This success provided Ben with a clear understanding of the direction he wanted to take his career. He’s transformed from someone who knew what he enjoyed but lacked clarity and direction, to someone who has a plan for the future.

Matthew Jones from Achieve More Training commented: “We were able to work with Ben to support his career development and identify the most logical and suitable progression. Ben is a very 'hands on' learner who thrives in an environment where is able to learn by doing and so an apprenticeship was the obvious next step.

“Ben began to work as a football coach for a local organisation to gain experience and put his learnt knowledge into practice. Ben also secured a role in a local Primary School, Ysgol Escob Morgan, as a Sport Apprentice completing the PE in School Sport Level 3 qualification.

“Ben is excelling within his apprenticeship and has taken a leadership role within the school in relation to sport and PE delivery, demonstrating his excellent planning, communication and interpersonal skills.”