Rosy Apple's three Little Achievers nurseries in Preston have been so successful in training and retaining modern apprentices that managing director Sharon Alexander is now acting as a local ambassador for the scheme.
The group began in 2003 with the 39-place Little Achievers Day Nursery. Four years later it has blossomed into a 223-place chain.
It currently employs nine apprentices in childcare and another in business administration. Ms Alexander says, 'The scheme gives young people access to employment at an early stage in their careers and supports the new specialised diploma for 14- to 19-year-olds. Our modern apprentices train to NVQ level 2 and can then advance further to NVQ level 3 and gain promotions within the company.'
An advantage for apprentices in joining the company is that there is a clear route for progress, with incremental pay rises above the £89 amount usually set.
Human resources manager Kerry Woodall says, 'During the first three months of their first year, our stepping stones process gives students the opportunity to increase their wages significantly through high attendance and hitting the targets set by their college.
'Once qualified, they receive another pay increase. We feel the financial incentive of meeting their targets and gaining their qualification spurs them on and recognises their hard work.'
Like many nurseries, Rosy Apple experiences difficulty in targeting young, untrained recruits who have a clear idea of what a career in early years involves and a level of commitment that will see them through. It identified that sometimes the one-to-one interview itself can be off-putting.
As a result the company has changed its recruitment process and now uses a group approach. A three-hour interview session includes individual assessments and interviews alongside team work and problem-solving tasks.
Sharon Alexander says, 'Since we started using this approach last October, we have been able to highlight the candidates who have been willing and genuinely interested in joining the company. Although the cost of the session is quite high, it is worth it. It helps us to recruit the right people who are worth the investment of an apprenticeship and who will go on to get their qualification.'
She adds, 'Feedback from these sessions highlights that candidates feel more confident and less daunted by the interview process. They get to find out more about the nursery and how it operates, and it gives us the opportunity to see different aspects of their personality. All in all, it provides a far more balanced view.'
Rosy Apple Childcare has won the Performance Through People Award in this year's Be Inspired Business Awards and it is currently working with the Lancashire Enterprise Business Partnership to promote the modern apprentice scheme.
