.png)
The post-Covid workplace has evolved greatly since the pandemic and one development, alongside an increase in hybrid working, has been the adaptation and repurposing of office or commercial space.
Located in The Midcounties Co-operative Headquarters at Co-operative House in Warwick Technology Park, the new Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery and pre-school has space for up to 68 children aged three months to five years and will provide on-site childcare to colleagues, as well as a welcome resource for surrounding businesses and the local community.
This innovative use of what was previously office space will enable colleagues and local families to access early years care in their place of work, as well as providing valuable early years apprenticeship opportunities for those looking to embark on, or develop, their early years career.
Hawk Training is one of only a very small number of early years apprenticeship providers in England graded as ‘Outstanding by Ofsted. Since 2015, Hawk and The Midcounties Co-operative have worked in partnership to develop well over 300 colleagues through apprenticeships. Both organisations have ambitious plans for the future and plan to enrol another 45 learners in 2024 throughout England across a range of levels including the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner and Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeships. This also includes partnering with The Skills Network to deliver an innovative early years Skills Bootcamp. Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible online courses of up to 14 weeks for learners living aged 19 and over in England, giving people the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and fast-track career progression.
Hawk’s Managing Director, Crawford Knott said: “It was fantastic to see first-hand the new nursery at The Midcounties Co-operative HQ. Effective employer partnerships like this really are key to the success of any apprenticeship programme. As an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ provider, we are delighted to build on our successful relationship with The Midcounties Co-operative to provide early years care and apprenticeships of the highest quality”.
Bethany Patrick, Head of Educational Excellence at Your Co-op Childcare said: "Opening the Warwick nursery has been a pivotal moment for our childcare business. We hope the successful transformation of existing space within our head office into a pioneering workplace nursery will set the standard for future workplace partnerships.
“Working with Hawk Training, our HQ nursery offers flexible, high-quality childcare and early years education for both our colleagues and those who work and live within the local area. We already operate several nurseries within workplaces across the UK, however it has been heartwarming to see firsthand the benefits for both parents and their children of having high quality, flexible and convenient childcare that’s just a few doors away.”
For more information on Hawk Training's Early Years provision, please click here.
For more learner information about the Early Years Skills Bootcamp, please click here.
