See-Saw Day Nursery up for award for training scheme

By lporter

TRAINING people with few or no qualifications has won a Boston nursery a place on the shortlist for a prestigious award.

See-Saw Day Nursery, in Sleaford Road, runs childcare apprenticeships that have benefited people such as school- leavers who have been turned down by colleges.

Now, it has been nominated for the Lincolnshire and Rutland Top Apprentice and Employer Awards.

Nursery managers Mark and Sarah Whelan will attend an awards ceremony at the Lawn in Lincoln on February 26.

Mark told the Target he was proud of the achievement and thanked his team for their efforts.

He said: "We are absolutely delighted to have made it to the finals. This would not have been possible without staff members working together as a team.

"Some people who leave school find it hard to get a job as they need skills and that is why we take people on, to make it possible for them to gain what they need to progress further.

"We started taking on potential nursery nurses when See-Saw opened in 2004 and it has proved very successful with some of qualified nurses moving on to other schools.

"All apprentices become an integral member of our team and we are always on the look-out for potential staff members to take on the work-based training. They do not need any qualifications but must have a passion for childcare."

So far, five students have gained their nursery nurse qualifications and a further three are close to finishing their training.

Emma Spinks, a nurse at See-Saw, qualified two years ago after joining the school.

The 20-year-old studied first at Boston College before joining the training scheme after a work placement at the nursery.

She said: "It really is great news that the nursery has been entered for this award. After taking part in work placement here I decided it would be great to be a part of the team.

"I had so much support throughout my apprenticeship and I can't thank the team enough."

The nursery was nominated for by VT Training, a work- based provider of government-funded learning programmes.

See-Saw has also been nominated for the East Midlands Apprenticeships Awards.

Anyone interested in work-based training at See-Saw Day Nursery should call Mark on (01205) 359516.