Showcase Magazine Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 21
HIGHER LEVEL
LEARNING
From Apprentice to Room Leader:
Holly’s Early Years Journey
In this edition, we are celebrating Holly, one of our Level 3 apprentices, who has used her qualification to become a
Room Leader! This article explores Holly’s journey – from her first steps learning the role to becoming a confident
leader. It highlights the challenges she overcame, the skills she developed, and the support that helped her grow.
What made you choose an early
apprenticeship and how did you get started?
years
What key skills or experiences helped you progress
from apprentice to room leader?
I have always wanted to work with children but never
understood how it all worked, and I didn’t ever have
the confidence to just call up a nursery and ask the
questions. I went between different jobs that I didn’t
enjoy and always found myself wondering about an
apprenticeship. I chose to go through the GOV website
to see what was available that way, and that’s when I
found the nursery I now work at.
When I finished my level 2, I had gained so much
knowledge that I felt the confidence to become a room
leader. Although I was still learning, I found a skill within
myself that I didn’t know I had, which was resilience.
There were many times it would have been a lot easier
to just give up and move on to something new, but I
kept going, and I have now nearly finished my level 3
and have gained so much experience doing so.
What was the biggest challenge you faced as an
apprentice, and how did you overcome it?
How did the support from your tutor, mentor, or
nursery team help your development?
The biggest challenge I have faced as an apprentice is
finding the time to balance work, personal life, and the
apprenticeship. The way I have overcome this is by
talking to the people around me who can help me
manage my time better. I have also had a change of
mindset since beginning my apprenticeship, and I now
understand that this is for me and only I can push
myself to finish the course and find the time.
The support from my tutor has been the main reason I
have not stopped my apprenticeship. She is very firm
with me and wants me to believe in myself, which
helps me keep going when I’m struggling. Abi has also
been my tutor since my level 2 and reminds me every
time I speak with her how much I have changed. She
also reminds me of the times when I could have easily
given up but didn’t, which helps me carry on with the
work I have to do.
What achievement are you most proud of in your
journey so far?
My biggest achievement so far is becoming a room
leader and passing my level 2. Both of these moments
were very rewarding for me, as I know how hard I had
worked to achieve them.
If you are interested in an
apprenticeship, take a look at our website:
showcasetraining.co.uk/earlyyearsapprenticeships/
｜
Showcase Training 21
