David Spiden, Early Years Practitioner, Haddington

After leaving school, I was looking for work and saw a job advertised in Early Learning and Childcare and immediately I knew this career would suit me perfectly. I didn’t have any previous experience, but I was determined to pursue my passion as it was the right job for me. So, I worked in a nursery while doing an online course to get my childcare qualification.

My expectations of the role were to play games with the children all day long, but the reality is far more than that. In this role, you can be creative through activities such as painting, modelling and even through language. It’s a joy to support the children’s learning.

There are so many ways childcare can make such a difference to the lives of little ones. We share brand new experiences with children that provide them with the ability to form new friendships, and develop skills which last a lifetime.

My advice to anyone considering a career in Early Learning and Childcare would be: do it! We absolutely need more men to consider this as a viable career as it’s great for children to have male role models in nurseries. There is no reason not to follow a job in childcare; it is hands on, exciting and rewarding.