Recent Early Childhood Education graduate Stacy Skinner loved the mixture of theory and practice her programme provided and has already landed a job in her chosen field.

Stacy enrolled in the NZ Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care after completing NCEA Level 2 and spending some time volunteering at a church looking after pre-schoolers.

“I chose to study Early Childhood Education because I really enjoyed being around children, and how creative they are, and I wanted to learn how to care for them on a deeper level,” she says.

She chose Ashton Warner (a subsidiary of Future Skills Academy) because they give students the opportunity to gain theoretical knowledge and practical experience at the same time.

Stacy says she’s always learned well through practical experience. The combination of theory and practice prepares you well for working in the industry, she says.

“Ashton Warner gave me the opportunity to go out into the centres and experience what it would be like to be a teacher.”

Her favourite parts of the programme were learning about infant care, holistic care, and learning through play. She’s also made a lot of new friends during her programme.

Stacy’s now landed a job as a Teacher in Training. She is working three days a week while studying towards a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education at New Zealand Tertiary College.

Stacy recommends Ashton Warner and Future Skills to anybody thinking about becoming an Early Childhood Education Teacher or a Nanny. She says the programme will also help students to figure out which job is the best fit for them

“Ashton Warner can help set you up to travel the world while being a Nanny, earn a lot more as a Nanny, and learn to care for children's holistic needs. So, whether you want to be a Nanny or a Teacher I would recommend Ashton Warner as it gives you good knowledge to work with children.”