Colin Sure Start are committed to supporting the next generation of Early Years practitioners and professionals working with families with young children in a variety of roles. We have a team of experienced practitioners and dedicated staff, many of whom have been working in early intervention, early years and family support for a number of years. Our services are varied, covering child development, antenatal and breastfeeding support, child health and wellbeing, play support, parent support and facilitation programmes - so its a great opportunity for anyone keen to learn and get their career off to a great start. We want to support anyone who is motivated, committed and keen to make a difference for children - supporting children and families in the early years can be challenging but a very rewarding job - one of the most important there is!

Apprenticeships with Colin Sure Start - Earn while you Learn!

New in 2025, Colin Sure Start will be offering an apprenticeship pathway for candidates who are currently unqualified and do not have experience, but are interested in gaining a vocational qualification in Children's Care, Learning and Development while at the same time getting paid work and experience in the organisation. The apprenticeship will last for one academic year from September through to June, during which the apprentice will be studying in the evening enrolled on an NVQ Level 2 or 3 with Belfast Metropolitan College, and at the same time during this period the organisation will facilitate a minimum of 16 hours per week of work in a variety of Sure Start groups and services, paid at the apprenticeship rates set be the Government. The apprentice will be supported and mentored by the organisation, and will be given experience in some of our childcare and early years groups, antenatal and health support programmes, family support and parent programmes and SEN services under the guidance of our experienced staff and managers. 

Application Process

The application process will open in the Spring of 2025 (April) with potential candidates required to complete a short application form which we will provide, followed by a brief interview from which the apprentice(s) will be selected based on suitability. Places are limited. Any successful applicant will still need to apply separately for the NVQ course with Belfast Met, even though Colin Sure Start are covering the costs of the course, and any offer of an apprenticeship is subject to the candidate successfully meeting the criteria for the course. Candidates will be entered in to the NVQ Level 3, or if they do not meet the entry requirements for this the Level 2 may also be considered. 

Work Hours and Pay

If successful, apprentices will be offered a minimum of 16 hours per week working in our groups and settings. The apprentice will be under one of our mentors - we have staff with many years of experience in childcare, family support, health promotion, antenatal and breastfeeding support and early intervention. The hours will normally be worked between Monday - Thursday, usually in the mornings from 9 am - 1pm although this will depend on the stage of placement and group/service. We will try and give our apprentices a good mix of experiences across our registered childcare settings, 2-3 year old programmes, but also getting an opportunity to learn other aspects of our support such as family support, facilitated post-natal programmes, and some of our antenatal support which will all help them with experience to use towards their NVQ studies. They will always be attached to a mentor - one of our experienced managers or team leads, and this will change depending on the service that they are working in, most likely in 2-3 month blocks. The mentor will supervise and support the apprentice, providing information about the work and instruction about roles and responsibilities and check-in with the apprentice on a weekly basis.

Apprentice pay is set by the government, and depends on the age of the apprentice. Pay is made by BACS in arrears on the 21st of each month. For more information on the current apprenticeship hourly rates visit: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates - GOV.UK

Successful Applicants - starting your Apprenticeship

Once applications have been received and we have completed the shortlisting of candidates, any candidate that has met the criteria will be invited for a short interview. Following the interviews, Colin Sure Start will select the successful candidates and get in contact. Any offer of the apprenticeship is conditional on the candidate clearing all AccessNI checks, and also meeting the requirements for the NVQ course from Belfast Metropolitan College. On successful completion of all of the above, the apprenticeship will start in September

If you would like to find out more or have any questions about our apprenticeship scheme, please contact us on 90601417

Other Work Experience / Placements

We regularly take on students on placement from a wide variety of professions who are studying early years, childcare, health visiting, social work, midwifery and much more. The experience that Colin Sure Start can offer is extensive and varied - we have many different groups and services from Antenatal right up until a child turns 4, so there are great opportunities for students to gain valuable experience. While we try to accommodate as much as possible, we are a small employer, so our capacity to take on students is limited. If you are interested in doing work experience or a placements, we have a short application form to complete to give us an idea of the times, requirements and length of placement. The form is attached below, or to request a form to be sent by email - just give us a call on 90601417