As a childcare apprentice, you have to help experienced staff take care of young children. Besides, you will prepare learning material and observe kids as part of your studies. You may choose to work in a local childcare center, a private nursery, or a nursery attached to a hospital, university, college, or school.

Your routine activities include supervising mealtimes, cleaning play areas, feeding kids, and changing their nappies.

Qualifications needed

If you want to enroll for a childcare apprenticeship, you will need BTEC or GCSE diplomas in children’s care, learning, and development (CCLD). Alternatively, you can go for NVQ Level 1 or 2.

For working with young kids, you may have to get a DBS check. In fact, taking short courses in basic food hygiene and first aid will help you a lot.

Career path

You can make more progress if you pursue further training and a qualification in other special needs care like Down’s syndrome, autism, or cerebral palsy. In this case, you may have to work one-to-one with each child.

You may pursue further training for on-the-job training and level 3. This approach will help you gain experience for other jobs, such as staff supervision.

Example of jobs

Nursery nurse

Your responsibilities as a nurse include changing nappies, feeding, recording kids’ activities, building relationships with the parents of kids and cleaning their play area, etc.

Childcare assistant

If you have Level 1 or 2 qualifications and a bit of practical experience, you can help and support senior staff.

Au pair childcare

As an au pair, you will look after kids while living with the family or doing domestic chores while the kids are away at school.

Babysitter

With Level 1 qualifications, you can become a babysitter and look after kids while their parents are away.