The Learning and Apprenticeships team at Halifax Opportunities Trust matches employment needs with career progression opportunities through early years apprenticeships
Halifax, West Yorkshire (06.03.2023): Calderdale-based charity, Halifax Opportunities Trust (HOT), is supporting over 25 professionals in the early years sector with work-based career progression opportunities thanks to a full suite of nationally recognised apprenticeship qualifications and a growing list of industry employers seeking early years specialists.
HOT is working with local businesses to understand skills shortages and recruitment challenges in order to match them with apprentices looking to build or boost their career in early years. So far, the HOT Learning and Apprenticeships team has matched 25 learners with local employers across West Yorkshire in the past 12 months, with a further 5 graduates. Some of these apprentices are based at HOT Children’s Centres and Nurseries within central Halifax and in the Upper Valley.
Caren Parkinson, Children and Families Lead at Halifax Opportunities Trust, comments:
“By working with the Learning and Apprenticeships team, we’ve been able to address our recruitment challenges by introducing an apprenticeship scheme that supports learners and employees throughout their career to become fully qualified at degree level. By offering employees a career journey, with routes for further progression, we’re confident that retention will increase – building a skilled and motivated workforce.”
Enhancing career progression opportunities
With a range of qualifications to suit learners at any stage of their career, the HOT Learning and Apprenticeships team is well-equipped to deliver apprenticeships for people at any age, from 16 onwards. Apprenticeships are suitable for a range of learners at any stage of their career. They are not just for school leavers, or new employees, they are also a great way for existing employees to gain career related qualifications at their current workplace.
Through work-based learning, apprentices receive on the job training and earn while they learn – giving them the real-world skills and experience to build a successful career.
Malgorzata Ciewiertnia, Apprenticeships, Quality & Systems Lead at Halifax Opportunities Trust, adds:
“The HOT Learning and Apprenticeships team are all from a training, education or early years background and have built strong relationships with local organisations to understand recruitment and workforce development needs. This means that we are able to work with apprentices to understand their aspirations and help them along the way with qualifications that benefit their career progression, while they gain skills and behaviours that match those of their employer organisations.“
Early Years Careers
A career in early years is extremely rewarding and has the potential to lead to working in other related areas. An apprenticeship provides the opportunity to follow a number of career progression routes, with further prospects for self-employment and diversifying into related sectors, such as teaching or social work.
Halifax Opportunities Trust supports individuals in achieving Early Years qualifications and reaching their career aspirations through work-based apprenticeships at placements across Halifax.
For more information, visit: Careers
The Learning and Apprenticeship and Children and Families teams will be joining forces on Wednesday 8th March, to showcase the many early years apprenticeship opportunities at the C+K Careers Calderdale Apprenticeships event, at Shay Stadium. Read more here.
