Business Development - Celebrating success

A series of staff graduation days have delivered the wow factor for apprentices at the UK's biggest nursery group, Busy Bees. These events, which rolled out across the chain's settings in October and November, marked the successful completion of a range of apprenticeships and also conferred special awards, such as outstanding achievement and career progression.

Busy Bees strongly believes that investing in home-grown talent boosts retention, recruitment and leadership across the group. In line with this, it has seen 200 apprentices graduating this year, while 400 are currently engaged in advanced and intermediate apprenticeships. All its apprenticeships are provided in association with Skillsfirst Awards.

According to 17-year-old Chloe Hayton, who joined Busy Bees at Welwyn Garden City straight from school as an apprentice, her graduation day was a fantastic recognition of all her hard work. She is one of 114 16-to 18-year-olds who have embarked on an intermediate apprenticeship this year, which involves completion of the Level 2 certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce.

'My mum and my aunt came to share the occasion and were so proud of me and what I have achieved,' she says. 'I can honestly say I've enjoyed every minute of the training process and would recommend it to anybody. I also won a special award, which was the icing on the cake.'

Ms Hayton says that her success has been fuelled by the support of her manager. 'She recognised my ability and rewarded my dedication by giving me more independence and opportunities. This recognition and support has tripled my confidence and motivation. I can't wait to start working my way up to Level 3 and have now started my advanced apprenticeship,' she explains.

Busy Bees also offers management apprenticeships to senior staff, including room leaders, who want to develop their leadership skills in the workplace.

Joint manager and training mentor Rachel Jackson, who is based at the group's Preston Hospital site, testifies to the fact that Busy Bees' approach provides career progression for staff.

'I started in 2006, aged 16, as an unqualified member of staff. After seven months, I enrolled on their advanced apprenticeship Level 3, which I finished after two years. I progressed quickly through the nursery, from a qualified senior, overseeing the pre-school room, to assistant manager and finally joint manager,' she says. 'Busy Bees really does see its apprentices as future managers, and works hard to provide all the training and experience needed to create exceptional childcare.'