Kirsty Williams
Embarking on my NNEB training and choosing to do it at this particular College were definitely the best decisions I have ever made. It allowed me to go from having a vague idea that I wanted to work with children to knowing exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to do it. The training I received was very well organized and covered all areas of child care from 0-7 years 11months in a really informative and balanced way. The tutors were all very knowledgeable and approachable and had all worked in the area that they were teaching about.
The placements covered the whole range of child care situations from Nannying to special care baby units and gave us an insight into types of employment available to us when we qualified. This enabled me to discover that I felt most comfortable and fulfilled in a school setting., which would have been the last place I would have thought of working in before then. It also gave us all the opportunity to put what we were learning into practice, which was extremely useful.
The Course Tutor and her team were a great support throughout the training, especially when I had a lapse of confidence early on. They were understanding and helpful while maintaining their high expectations of us. I found that knowing they were behind you all the way was very reassuring and gave me the confidence to try new things. Part of the high standards involved the expectation that we would wear a uniform both in College and on some placements. Wearing our uniform gave us confidence and certainly made us look the part even if we didn’t always feel it !
Since gaining my Diploma, I have used what I learnt every day; first as a classroom assistant and then in my B.Ed Teacher Training Degree. It has proved to be invaluable throughout and has given me a head start over my colleagues because they were still learning about children’s development and needs. Recently my NNEB has been additionally useful in helping me get my first teaching post and my new employers are extremely enthusiastic about additional knowledge and skills I can bring to the school.
I will always be thankful that I did my NNEB and am especially proud to have had such a Course Tutor ! She has always been with me, at the back of my mind, cheering me on and encouraging me to try that bit harder just as she did during my time training with her.