Rachel Wallace completed the newly-launched Department for Education’s (DfE) Skills Bootcamp course which is designed to ‘fast-track’ individuals into an early years career.
Announced in February, the bootcamps, which last up to 16 weeks, are designed to attract people into the early years sector, boosting recruitment ahead of the full rollout of the expanded entitlement.
Wallace, who has autism and ADHD, took part in a three-week bootcamp delivered by training provider Realise. It is one of a number of providers running the courses.
Wallace (pictured right), who completed the Bootcamp course in March, has now secured a job as a Level 3 early years apprentice at Kidsworld Nursery in Liverpool as a result of completing the skills bootcamp. 
She said, 'It’s been a whirlwind few weeks. I didn’t start the Skills Bootcamp course until early February and, by the middle of March, I’d completed the course, secured a job interview and been successful in getting the role.
‘I’d tried to start working in a nursery previously, both in Liverpool and in London, but it didn’t work out.
‘The Skills Bootcamp course made all the difference. It covered everything that we needed to be ready to work in an early years setting and I found the whole experience fantastic.’
What are Bootcamp courses?
Skills Bootcamp courses, which are mainly delivered online outside of the Bootcamp Hubs – Liverpool, Slough, Northampton, Totton, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire - are fully funded by the DfE and open to anyone over the age of 19 not currently employed in the early years sector.
Individuals who complete the course are guaranteed an interview for a job with a local nursery where they will automatically be eligible to begin a Level 3 apprenticeship when they secure employment.
- Anyone interested in finding out more about the Skills Bootcamp should e-mail Karen Derbyshire, operations director for early years at Realise, at Karen.Derbyshire@realisetraining.com