Jenine makes Little Inspirations a learning institute for child care
Jenine Gill, inspirational managing director of Little Inspirations, leads by example.
Inspirational managing director Jenine Gill considers her award-winning children’s day nursery company, Little Inspirations, to be a learning institute for those looking to develop a career in the child care sector.
The company, which operates from sites in Barry, Llantrisant, Rhydyfelin and Trehopcyn, employs 66 staff providing quality childcare services for children aged form six weeks to 11 years of age. It currently has 20 apprentices and has trained 33 in the last five years.
An Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2015 runner-up, Little Inspirations is hoping to go one better this year to add to the VQ Employer of the Year Award and Best Services Business Award in Rhondda Cynon Taff it won last year. The company has been shortlisted for the Medium Employer of the Year award, which will be presented at Venue Cymru, Llandudno on October 20.
Jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW), the prestigious awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals, employers and learning providers who have excelled in contributing to the development of the Welsh Government’s Traineeships, Jobs Growth Wales and Apprenticeship programmes. The awards are sponsored by Pearson PLC and supported by media partner, Media Wales.
The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.
Jenine, who is dyslexic and left school with minimum GCSEs, leads by example and has created a deep-rooted culture of learning in her business, which holds a Flying Start contract. Her personal learning journey has taken her to a Higher Apprenticeship in Leadership and Management Level Five.
The company, which has a strong partnership with training provider Educ8, has a host of success stories of staff progression from the bottom to the top of the business, assisted by flexible support and one-to-one mentoring.
Educ8 delivers programmes spanning from Foundation Apprenticeships to Higher Apprenticeships in Playwork, Children’s Care, Learning and Development and Management.
“Apprenticeships contribute to staff retention, internal promotions and an increase in sales and occupancies, meaning that the company has a safe budget to continue its programmes,” said Jenine. “We see this as a long term investment with an instant return.”
Wales’ Minister for Skills and Science Julie James congratulated Little Inspirations and the other 32 shortlisted award finalists. “We are proud to be delivering one of the most successful apprenticeship programmes in Europe with success rates in Wales remaining well above 80 per cent,” she said.
“Developing skilled people is vital for our economy. We have some truly exceptional apprentices here in Wales and the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru provide a perfect platform for us to celebrate their hard work and achievements. Equally important are the learning providers and employers who go the extra mile to support their apprentices.”
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