Paige McCrohon tells us how she trained to work in childcare, and now works abroad in Tunisia for First Choice.
“When I left school, I knew I wanted to work with children, so I went to college to study childcare. After about 6 weeks I left as I wanted a more hands-on job and felt college wasn’t for me.
I tried various placements and ended up working voluntary in a primary school for a year. I figured I needed a qualification in childcare to be able to make a career of it. I then looked into apprenticeships, as you work towards your qualification whilst having a full time job.
I was offered an apprenticeship in a day nursery and did my training with Aspire Training Team which didn’t require going to college. My assessor Louise came into the setting and took the coursework I had done and gave me new coursework to get on with in my allocated time.
Louise was very supportive and helped with any questions I had. The coursework was given to me in manageable loads and took just under a year to complete and gain my qualification. I was employed with an ongoing contract at the nursery and worked my way up from nursery practitioner to room leader and then to senior practitioner.
Three years on, I now work in Tunisia for First Choice, spending the majority of my time in the crèche attached to the hotel with children aged 0-3, but also delivering activities to children up to the age of 11 including high ropes, water ball zorbing, canoeing, raft building, archery and also themed sessions in kids club (such as pirates, cowboys and superheroes!)
The job is very rewarding and you get a free holiday a day and a half a week! All flights, accommodation, food and laundry is paid for and you get paid to do a job you love. The year gaining my qualification was definitely worth it to be where I am today.”
