News
Online Learning helps Lauren for return to work as Nurseries re-open
Published 1 July 2020
Working Mum and Belfast Met student Lauren Burton is the Deputy Manager & Co-ordinator for one of the five Wee Care Day Nursery sites in East Belfast, and has been home schooling her own children whilst furloughed during the lockdown until this week when nurseries re-opened for children of key workers. Due to the current Manager shielding because of COVID 19, Lauren has returned to work as Acting Manager for the time being.
Lauren has worked in her current full-time role for the last 1 ½ years in the Junior’s branch, having worked for the organisation for the last 6 years. She explained how doing a part time course at Belfast Met immediately gave her promotion opportunities: “I started the Level 5 course in October 2018 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development, which I have just completed this summer - in spite of the lockdown we have continued to have classes and been able to complete assignments. I wouldn’t have been able to progress to level I am at today within the organisation without having studied this course.
“I attended a weekly class with other practitioners in my field, so it was great to have the opportunity for information sharing and networking with other students. My lecturer also works in the sector, and has given me an invaluable education into the best practice of the day-to-day running of a nursery.”
“I am so grateful for all of the support and training opportunities that my company has given me. I entered the world of childcare with no relevant qualifications after 11 years in retail, and have been able to work my way up by completing my level 3 CCLD and now my Level 5 CCLD.”
Stuart Dickinson, Curriculum Area Manager for Childhood Studies at Belfast Met said,”I am immensely proud to lead a team who have responded so diligently to this very abrupt transition we have had to make due to the pandemic, from face to face delivery to remote delivery so that excellent students like Lauren continue to learn and develop the skills necessary for the workplace.”