Every month, we put the spotlight on a member of the Parenta team. This time around, it’s our Careers Advisor. Amelia plays a key part within our recruitment team, providing young people with valuable advice on apprenticeships and helping them decide the best route to get into childcare.
Tell us more about your role within Parenta…
My main role at Parenta is to attend careers events to speak to students about apprenticeships in childcare. If they are interested, we will help them to find an apprenticeship which is why I sit within the recruitment team. I speak to teachers and will run smaller workshops in schools to let students know about the childcare industry and what a job in a nursery would involve – the good, the bad and the messy!
I will work with local authorities, training providers and other organisations that support people to let them know about our vacancies and promote our apprenticeships too. Lastly, I look into schemes that can offer our apprentices discounts or travel schemes and share them with our learners.
Why did you decide to join the Parenta family?
I had been working with children in care and care leavers for three years and I was ready for the next step in my career with new challenges! I had done two apprenticeships myself, one very high quality with lots of support, and another when I was younger with no learning involved! I had campaigned for high-quality apprenticeships by speaking at Parliament and a number of conferences and had promoted apprenticeships locally with the National Society of Apprentices (NUS). I think this is what pushed me to work with apprentices and Parenta seemed like a nice company to work for. Since joining Parenta, I have learnt so much and I love working with such a friendly and supportive bunch of people.
What do you find most rewarding about what you do?
I love meeting interesting young people and helping them to decide where to start their career. I like chatting with potential candidates and showing them sensory bottles and explaining that the role is all about supporting the development of children.
What do you think makes Parenta stand out as a software and training provider in the early years sector?
I think that Parenta only working in childcare makes us different. Our staff understand the unique challenges that the sector faces, particularly as so many have come from childcare themselves. Our recruitment service also makes us different, we know what managers are looking for and help candidates who are passionate about working in early years to begin their careers.
In the coming months, what do you hope to achieve in your role?
I hope that we have supported more apprentices than ever to start a course in the next few months and that we continue to provide high-quality training.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I am a Girl-guiding leader on a Wednesday night and do lots of activities with the girls like kayaking, craft or our annual ‘Chip Shop Hike’. Most recently, we did a sponsored sleep-out to raise money for the homeless charity, Porchlight. I am also a member of CrossFit and like to keep active with yoga too. I have just completed the Moonwalk
(26.2 miles through the night) to raise money for a breast cancer which was probably the hardest thing I have ever done mentally or physically but it felt amazing passing the finish line.
