11 minute read
Chamber Training
Making a Difference to Children’s Care and Education
Apprenticeships through Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber Training have proven to be a successful pathway for two brothers, Joel and Daniel Silber, whose careers in children’s care and education are going from strength to strength at Beatle Woods Ltd, an outdoor nursery, situated in a 10-acre woodland site in Balsall Common.
Joel Silber achieved his apprenticeship at level 2, before progressing to advanced learning at level 3 (early years educator) which he is on track to successfully complete. Joel’s brother, Daniel Silber, is following in his brother’s footsteps taking up an apprenticeship in children’s care and education (early years practitioner) in the midst of the pandemic in 2020.
The brothers are truly inspirational role models, demonstrating excellent skills and knowledge of their profession.
As a leading provider of apprenticeships and business to business training courses, Chamber Training has a strong track record of working in partnership with employers to design and deliver apprenticeships that meet their specific requirements.
Commenting on Joel and Daniel’s success, Rachel Macbeth-Webb, Founder and Manager of Beatle Woods said: “Our first truly outdoor nursery in the West Midlands was set up in
Gill Dickson, Chamber Training, Joel and Daniel Silber and Rachel Macbeth-Webb from Beatle Woods
2017 to provide care for children aged from 2 to 5 years old and it has grown from an initial group of 5 staff to 16. The children spend all day outside, engaging in activities of their choice. We do not plan ahead or structure our days as we believe children learn best when they feel a sense of autonomy and are empowered to then develop resilience, high levels of self-esteem and independence.
“Working in partnership with Chamber Training has proven to be an extension of ethos of Beatle Woods. Gill Dickson, our Training Adviser at Chamber Training, has provided us with a dedicated and personalised one-to-one support programme. She has helped us create solutions to any challenges we have encountered.
“Our first ever apprentice, Joel, applied for an apprenticeship position with us in 2019 and the team at Chamber Training provided him with the right guidance and support to enable him to excel on his apprenticeship. Daniel then joined us in September 2020, after originally looking at a teaching assistant, but he realised his passion and also embarked on the early years practitioner apprenticeship.
Commenting on his progress, Joel remarked: “The team at Chamber Training have been so supportive and approachable. Gill has regularly helped me to address and deal with challenges. I am really thankful for the guidance and advice I have received.”
Daniel added: “I really enjoyed working four days at the nursery and one day off-the-job training at Chamber Training. It has offered a nice working balance and I am able to come up with new, inspiring ideas each week, which helps me in my job.”
Gill Dickson from Chamber Training concluded: “We are delighted to have worked with Joel and Daniel. They have shown a natural ability when working with children and we are pleased to have been part of their career success. We are currently working with a number of nurseries and children’s care settings to provide relevant, tailored and structured learning pathways to support businesses to develop qualified staff. If you’re looking to recruit an apprentice or train your existing staff, we can help you on that journey.”
For further information about Chamber Training’s Apprenticeship Programme, call 024 7623 1122 or enquiries@cw-chambertraining.co.uk View Beatle Woods’ video on YouTube https://youtu.be/8Yv5_4ploCk
Two apprentices, Daniel and Joel Silber from Beatle Woods.
Coventry City of Culture Two-tone hair competition
To celebrate Coventry as the City of Culture 2021, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber Training’s hairdressing apprentices have tested their skills as part of a celebration of Coventry’s rich musical heritage, two-tone.
The apprentices were challenged to explore two-tone, its influence on music, fashion, politics and culture, and create a total look for the skills competition.
Jayne Powell, Trainer at Chamber Training, remarked: “Our apprentices were exposed to working under pressure with strict time scales when styling the hair. They had to plan their look creating a mood board and ensure they had all tools, products and equipment.
“The work of a hairdresser during a competition is very different to working in a salon. Different techniques may be required, depending on the style and theme of the event and the apprentices had to research the era, explore the key influences and culture in order to create their version of two-tone style.”
The apprentices produced a high standard of work, battling against the clock and each other as part of their apprenticeship journey. Chamber Training believes in stretching and challenging apprentices through skills competitions, enabling individuals to extend their skills, gain valuable experiences and learn new things in fun ways. Apprenticeships are all about combining theory and practice whatever the job role is about. Chamber Training ensures that apprentices gain a wide range of experiences and opportunities to develop valuable skills.
To discuss how Apprenticeships could benefit your business contact Chamber Training’s Business Development Team on 024 7623 1122 or enquiries@cw-chambertraining.co.uk
A look at some of the competition winners
View Chamber Training’s two-tone hair competition video on YouTube https://youtu.be/S9nYJ7jy8so
Training Courses 2021/22
ILM Level 3 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Microsoft Excel - Intermediate to Advanced Effective Communications Microsoft Excel Basic to Intermediate (FULLY BOOKED) Time Management Managing Customer Expectations Key Account Management Microsoft Excel - Basic to Intermediate Manage Change Successfully Communicating Assertively Complaint Handling First Aid at Work (HSE Recommended)
Chamber Member Price + VAT
Non-Member Price + VAT Duration Nov 21 Dec 21 Jan 22
£2000.00 £2000.00 29 days Contact Chamber Training for a list of dates enquiries@cw-chambertraining.co.uk £130.00 £160.00 1 day 18 £110.00 £135.00 Half Day - AM 24 £130.00 £160.00 8
£220.00 £245.00 1 Day £110.00 £135.00 Half Day - AM £110.00 £135.00 Half Day - PM £130.00 £160.00 1 Day £220.00 £245.00 1 Day £110.00 £135.00 Half Day - AM £110.00 £135.00 Half Day - PM 15
12 12 19 19 26 26
L-R Jack Baker, Sumaya Miah, Ella Pollard are seen here with James Rose from McGlone Wardzynski
Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber Training is celebrating apprenticeship success with Coventry-based accountants, McGlone Wardzynski Limited. The accountancy firm, which has been supporting businesses for over 20 years, has worked closely with the team at Chamber Training to develop a successful pathway for apprentices across its workforce.
Throughout the pandemic Nicky Cheshire, Training Manager at Chamber Training, has been providing dedicated support and guidance to ensure the apprentices at the accountancy firm continued to progress with their training despite the challenges in the wider world.
Jack Baker joined McGlone Wardzynski in 2017 following his A Levels. He decided to take the apprenticeship route, seeing the mix of learning, work experience and earning a wage as a great way to start a career. Jack is currently studying to qualify as a professional accounting technician at Level 4, after which he aims to progress on to the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
Jack’s colleague, Ella Pollard, spent a year in the sixth form before deciding the world of work offered greater opportunities. Ella joined McGlone Wardzynski in 2020 and is storming ahead with her accountancy qualifications and workplace training, becoming a valuable member of the team.
Sumaya Miah is following in the footsteps of her manager, Amanda Asbury, who was a former accountancy apprentice with Chamber Training so is well equipped to support the development of Sumaya. After starting her apprenticeship in 2020, Sumaya is well on course to achieve and progress her career to the next level.
Commenting on the support gained from Chamber Training, James Rose, Director at McGlone Wardzynski who started his accountancy career through the apprenticeship route many years ago said: “We have been working in partnership with Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber Training for the past 10 years to source and train our apprentices. They have been an essential part of our business and it is a great way for apprentices to gain first hand work experience and qualifications in their chosen profession. It gives them the opportunity to put into practice what they have learnt and make a valuable contribution to the business. We are also looking to take on another apprentice with Chamber Training in the very near future.”
Sally Lucas, Executive Director at Chamber Training, added: “At Chamber Training, we have a strong track record of supporting businesses to design and deliver a plan of learning to match their needs. We are currently working with a number of accountancy firms to develop their future workforce through apprenticeships. The mixture of on and off the job learning ensures that apprentices develop the skills that employers require. “Furthermore, it is also a good time for employers to take advantage of Government financial incentives to support businesses to create new jobs and apprenticeships.
“Employers can receive £3,000 for new apprentices of any age who join their organisation before 31st January 2022. This is in addition to the £1,000 employers already receive for hiring an apprentice aged 16 to 18 years old or ages 19-24 with an education, health care plan or who have been in care of the local authority. Our team are on hand to provide guidance and support to make the apprenticeship journey easy.”
To discuss how apprenticeships could benefit your business or to find out more about the financial incentives, contact Chamber Training’s Business Development Team on 024 7623 1122 or enquiries@cw-chambertraining.co.uk View McGlone Wardynski’s video on YouTube https://youtu.be/RB2pLU6koTc
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
the tough get growing!
The Chancellor delivered a sparkling Budget recently – champagne Conservatism, help for the Beerage and hospitality sectors, long overdue rates relief for the retailers that are left on the High Street – a drinking person's Budget! Three cheers!
By Graham Freakes hg technology ltd
While this all brings immediate and much needed relief after the pandemic, the future was also addressed with support for apprenticeships, T level training, increased R & D spending and support for growing companies.
This is the kernel of the Budget as far as I'm concerned. Growing businesses are the cornerstone of the future from the Governments point of view - they generate wealth, jobs and therefore tax revenue. However many fast growing businesses fail to recognize that they are fast growing, are unprepared for fast growth and fail to seize the opportunity. The consequences aren't just 'the one that got away' but a loss to your business and everyone involved - including the Chancellor. Having been part of several fast growing businesses I understand how invigorating and exhilarating it feels – holding on to a tigers tail and not daring to let go! In these situations it's very difficult to wave the flag and shout 'Help!' if you're sinking because you might feel it's a sign of failure, when actually it's crucial that you do! Equally if you are part of the senior team it's all too easy to ignore the excessive hours being worked, the heightened stress levels among staff because you're so busy yourself. By the time accidents and sick leave starts increasing it's probably way too late: the opportunity will move out of reach and your business will have suffered financially and physically. To avoid this fate careful planning to scale up is required. Ask yourself if you have a fast growing business? In these strange and volatile times it's quite difficult to know whether you're a fast growing company or not. A standard test is >10% year on year growth in sales but at the moment the past is not particularly helpful so sales forecasts and order books are the only guide you have. Not recognising it early enough will deny your team the one of the best experiences of their lives – there really isn't very much better than being part of a fast growing business! If you are fast growing, start by envisaging how your business will look in three years time – turnover, facility size, headcount, equipment. Work backwards from there to next month and you'll probably find you should have started recruiting yesterday, especially in the current labour market. You may also be able to take advantage of the Help to Grow scheme announced by the Chancellor.
It will be hard work, it will be tough but it will be worth it!
I've been there, got the scars and learnt how to avoid the pitfalls. If you want to avoid 'the one that got away' and grow fast just contact me. ❛❛If you are fast
equipment.❜❜
