Paige's apprenticeship journey

My name is Paige Cousins, and I am 20 years old. I have studied with ACT, which has helped me accomplish my Level 2 and Level 3 CCPLD apprenticeship. I have also completed my Playworker course with ACT. I have worked in a private nursery setting called Cylch Meithrin Trelai since January 2021, and I am still currently working here.

Working with children has always been a career path I wanted to follow during my teenage years. I was always doing small babysitting jobs outside of school to build some experience, or I would help at home by looking after my siblings with my mum. I would also volunteer in school clubs to gain more experience. Working with children has always brought me joy, especially watching them develop and creating positive relationships with them. This is why I chose to do an apprenticeship with ACT to work with children. I chose an apprenticeship because I was doing the job I wanted to do while also learning on the job.

While doing my Level 2 and Level 3 with ACT, it was an amazing experience, and I would recommend anyone else to do an apprenticeship with ACT. All my tasks were explained really well, and if I ever struggled, help was always provided by my assessor, which was super helpful. The process of switching from finishing my Level 2 to starting my Level 3 was done really well and was a fast process. All my qualifications for completing Level 2 CCPLD came quickly too. When I started my Level 3, I was in complete shock as most of it was already done because I had completed Level 2.

Completing my apprenticeship with ACT has helped me gain in-depth knowledge about children, which has developed my role as a nursery assistant. When I first started my job at Cylch Meithrin Trelai, I always thought my job was just to protect the children from harm and accompany them in their play. However, I now know that it involves much more. I have to know all the policies and procedures, especially safeguarding, as that is the most important one. I help the children learn while they are playing and keep track of each key child's development to see if they need any extra support.

Although this apprenticeship has helped me gain knowledge about working with children, it has also helped me gain much more confidence in my role. When I first started, I was quiet and shy. However, I am now much more confident in my role, thanks to ACT and my work colleagues. I would recommend anyone to do an apprenticeship with ACT as my experience has been smooth, and I’ve never had any trouble with them. Help was always available, and I’m so happy that I have been able to achieve my qualifications with ACT.