When Laura Sparkes finished school, she went straight into hairdressing. She trained, qualified and spent three years working in the role, giving it everything she had. But over time, she realised it wasn’t the career she wanted long term.
“I tried really hard at hairdressing, but it just wasn’t right for me,” Laura explains. “I knew I wanted something different, but my confidence was low and the idea of starting again felt really daunting.”
What Laura did know was that she wanted to work in early years. She was drawn to the sector, but wasn’t sure whether she was ready to take on a new apprenticeship.
Taking a leap into early years
Laura secured a role at Shooting Stars Nursery in Bromsgrove and decided to take the leap into a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship with Realise.
“At the time, I was really worried about doing a whole new apprenticeship,” she says. “But there was honestly nothing to worry about.”
From the very beginning, Laura felt supported.
“The Realise team were on it straight away and helped with any questions I had,” she says. “My confidence and self-belief just grew. For the first time, people were reassuring me that I could do this.”
That encouragement made a huge difference.
Building confidence through learning
Laura completed her Level 2 apprenticeship with a distinction, something she says she’s incredibly proud of.
“Achieving my Level 2 showed me what I was capable of,” she explains. “It completely changed how I see myself.”
She’s now working towards her Level 3, and already thinking about what comes next.
“I don’t want to stop here,” Laura says. “I’m already talking to my tutor about progressing to Level 5. I want more for myself and I’m really excited about the future.”
Understanding the role of early years
Through her apprenticeship, Laura has gained a much deeper understanding of what working in early years really involves.
“Some people think early years is just about playing with children, but that doesn’t scratch the surface,” she says. “You’re educators. You’re thinking about safeguarding, wellbeing, first aid and Ofsted expectations all the time.”
She sees the role as both challenging and rewarding.
“You’re helping children grow from babies into confident four-year-olds ready for school,” she explains. “You’re supporting their communication and language skills, and you’re part of their lives at such an important time.”
For Laura, the most important thing is making sure children feel safe and secure.
“If children feel happy and safe in the setting, everything else can grow from there,” she says.
Looking ahead
Laura’s apprenticeship has given her more than a qualification - it’s given her confidence, direction and ambition.
“I never imagined I’d be talking about progressing all the way to Level 5,” she says. “Now I know I can do it.”
Her advice to anyone considering an apprenticeship in early years is simple:
“Just go for it. Don’t let a lack of confidence hold you back - it really can change your life.”
Interested in starting an apprenticeship in early years? Look at all of latest vacancies.