Benefits
Sharon says “Apprentices have brought great benefits to the company. The vibrancy and creativity along with the fresh and exciting ideas they bring are amongst our greatest assets.
“One advantage to the company is the skill mix of employees we have at each nursery. Members of staff are able to support each other through their studies and day to day activities; ensuring team working is continuous and maintaining high staff morale.
“Many apprentices have become junior managers within our rapidly expanding organisation, and our staff turnover is virtually nil as the majority of apprentices remain with us after completing their Apprenticeship. This means that recruitment costs are lower.”
Encouraging Diversity
Rosy Apple operates nurseries in areas with ethnically diverse populations. By employing apprentices from diverse backgrounds Rosy Apple is able to meet the needs of the communities it serves.
Sharon says “Apprentices within our nurseries have boosted occupancy levels, as we have a fantastically diverse team coming from varied cultural backgrounds, using their cultural and bilingual skills to help attract prospective parents. We have also recruited male apprentices into childcare which has a phenomenal role model impact on the children and families we care for.”
Success Stories
Rosy Apple offers Apprenticeships in Children’s Care - Learning and Development and Business Administration. Many of its apprentices go on to undertake Advanced Apprenticeships, and several now hold management roles within the company.
One Rosy Apple employee joined as an apprentice when she was a teenage single mother; she is now a member of her nursery’s senior management team. The company’s business administration apprentice has completed her NVQ Level 3 and has just started her Association of Accounting Technicians training, with her business administration qualification allowing her to move more quickly through the training. She already manages the company’s financial administration as well as a small team and has reduced the business’ consumable costs by 50 per cent.
A Role Model for Other Businesses
Sharon is so confident of the positive impact that apprentices can have on businesses that she acts as a mentor to other companies which are employing apprentices for the first time. Rosy Apple has also won several business and staff development awards.