Education

So, what's it all about?

Baby Education is vital. But there’s more to education than just lessons and exams – education is about personal development, gaining important social skills, stimulating thought, and learning the skills to lead a healthy, happy life.

These Apprenticeships deal with all these things, from organising youth activities to playing games with toddlers to promote learning. If you’re interested in becoming a schoolteacher, then you’ll need to head for university or teacher training college. However, the Supporting Teaching and Learning in School Apprenticeship is an alternative way into working in the classroom.

If you get on well with young children, a career in childcare can be extremely rewarding. With more and more parents out at work, nursery schools, playgroups, and daycare centres for the under-fives are on the increase. By organising stimulating play and educational activities, you’ll be helping kids to build their social and practical skills and have fun at the same time.

Working with 5-16-year-olds as an activity leader or youth worker can be just as fun and rewarding - maybe in an after-school club, with a youth group, or at a leisure centre at the weekends. Some youth workers specialise in areas like music, sports or drama, while others organise a wide range of general activities. It can be challenging work that requires creativity and enthusiasm in order to inspire a diverse group of kids, particularly when many of them would rather be at home watching TV.

Work in this field requires lots of organisation: somebody needs to book the hall, hire the minibus, manage the budget, or persuade the local council to find the money to build a skate ramp. You’ll also be in charge of crucial matters like first aid and health and safety - which means a lot of responsibility, especially when working with children.

Whatever you’re interested in, it’s very important that you relate to and care about other people. After all, you’re not going to be an inspiring youth group leader if you don’t like kids. But for the right people, this area of work is extremely rewarding. By helping young people to develop, you’ll have a hand in shaping the future.

What qualities do I need?

a keen sense of responsibility
be fit and active
show good leadership skills
manage risks and health and safety issues
relate well to other people from different age groups and backgrounds
have patience and enthusiasm
think creatively
have a sense of fun and adventure

Apprenticeships in this sector

Books These are the Apprenticeships currently available in this sector. For more information and for details of the Apprenticeship framework, contact the Sector Skills Council listed after each.