Supporting Early Years apprentices and employers to succeed
Jude’s career at Newbury College began in 2021 with a role helping employers build positive partnerships with the College, work that naturally developed into her role supporting apprentices directly as an Apprentice Development Coach, with a specialism in Early Years.
That mix, employer insight plus learner support, is central to how Jude works: building trust with workplaces, keeping communication clear, and helping apprentices stay on track.
“It’s not like teaching in a classroom all the time. I’m there as a guide, as a coach, as a support. My job is to figure out: what do they need from me to help them achieve their apprenticeship qualification?”
Before becoming an Apprentice Development Coach, Jude worked closely with employers to help create meaningful work experience placements. That same employer-focused mindset carries into apprenticeship delivery: practical, relationship-led, and focused on making the experience seamless for both apprentice and workplace.
“When I’m talking to employers about possible apprentices, we look at their academic background, what they’re hoping to achieve in the short term and the long term. And we think: what would be the most appropriate entry level? It’s possible to go straight to Level 3. You don’t have to do Level 2 first, but for some people it’s better to get that grounding and that introduction first.”
As an Apprentice Development Coach, Jude supports apprentices through workplace learning, reviews, and progress checkpoints, helping them build confidence and capability while meeting programme expectations.
“One of the things that we offer through our apprenticeship programme is the close contact with employers. I work with the local nurseries, pre-schools, sometimes the primary schools, to support their apprentices. I go out to visit the apprentices in their workplace regularly. Some of that is about helping them develop their skills in the workplace and assessing for those. I also work with the employer to focus in on any gaps in knowledge or skills, specifically what that apprentice needs.”
And because settings and learners vary, Jude’s approach is deliberately personalised.
“It’s wonderful working with them because they all have different needs, different strengths, different areas where we can help support them.”
Apprentices come together regularly for a college day, an important part of building community, sharing ideas, and turning learning into practice. This gives them an opportunity to meet colleagues from different settings, different workplaces, to share practice.
“We focus on a different theme… each month, so we have a bit of teaching around that theme. We think about how we can develop practice to take on board the new learning.”
Jude is clear that apprenticeships can (and should) work for people at any stage of life, and she’s proud to support mature learners alongside school leavers.
“One of the brilliant things about apprenticeships is that they’re open to learners across the age range. Quite often I’ll have apprentices coming to me who’ve already been working for quite a long time in the field and in the sector and are looking to develop their qualifications further. I’m delighted that we work with mature apprentices as well as school leavers, actually the whole range, everyone in between.”
Jude recognises the specific challenges mature apprentices can face at the start, especially returning to study.
“Often they’re nervous at the beginning, or anxious about having been out of education for a long time. One of the ways that I support people is, at the beginning, spending a lot of time getting to know the apprentice and what support they need from me. It’s not one size fits all.”
However, Jude highlights the value mature apprentices bring, and what they gain in return: confidence, theory to underpin experience, and clearer decision-making in practice.
“More mature apprentices say to me, ‘Oh, I’ve been doing this all this time, but now I can say why I’m doing it. I understand the choices I’m making better. It does help me to think through a wider range of approaches or options of things I can do.’”
Jude’s enthusiasm is unmistakable. She describes her role as both varied and deeply personal, built around relationships and individual growth.
“My job is brilliant. I love my job. One of the things I really enjoy is getting to know the apprentices. They all have different strengths, different areas of interest, and so on. I love working out how I can support the person.”
Her impact has also been recognised by Newbury College through award nominations and feedback highlighting the way she supports apprentices and employers. Described as “encouraging and kind, motivational and patient,” Jude won “Best Development Coach” in 2023, and “Best Tutor” in the 2025 Apprenticeship Awards for going “above and beyond for her apprentices.”
These endorsements reflect how Jude’s work helps create apprenticeship experiences.