They are thought to be the first business graduates in Scotland to be recruited by a nursery chain, a company neither of them had ever imagined working for. Marketing manager Claire, who graduated with an MA in management and marketing from Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University, said, 'I think a lot of people were surprised when I decided to join a nursery group.
'All my close friends from university followed the traditional path into the corporate world, for companies such as Arthur Andersen, Kraft and JP Morgan. But I was determined that I wanted to work somewhere I was not just a face in a crowd.'
Louise, who graduated from Stirling University and is employed as a recruitment manager, said, 'People say to me it must be great to work with babies all the time.
'They seem to think I spend my day working at a computer while bouncing a baby on my knee, but nothing could be further from the truth. I'm doing the same business tasks I would be doing in any other so-called normal corporate organisation.'
Careshare, with 14 nurseries, has announced plans to open five new nurseries in Scotland during the next six months and is looking to expand into England. Marion Webster, Care-share resources director, said, 'Our expansion will place us within the top five in the UK, so it is not surprising that, like any other company with growth in mind, business plans, management accounts, career development and finance performance all feature at our business review meetings. And, like any growing company, we need to employ quality graduates to go forward.'