We are incredibly proud to see Grace, an apprentice at Ginger Nut Training, featured by Skills England in a recent article exploring the impact of the Care Leaver Apprenticeship Bursary.
The article, “How the Care Leaver Apprenticeship Bursary Supported My Journey, by Grace”, shares Grace’s personal reflections on how the bursary helped remove financial barriers and provided valuable support during the early stages of her apprenticeship journey.
Read the full article on Skills England: https://skillsengland.blog.
Breaking Down Barriers to Opportunity
For many care-experienced young people, starting an apprenticeship can be both exciting and challenging.
Alongside adapting to a new workplace and learning new skills, there can be additional financial pressures that make the transition more difficult.
The Care Leaver Apprenticeship Bursary was introduced to help address some of these challenges, providing eligible care-experienced apprentices with additional financial support as they begin their careers.
As Grace explains in the Skills England article, the bursary helped provide reassurance and practical support during an important period of change and development.
Celebrating Grace’s Achievement
Many people will already recognise Grace from her growing contribution to the apprenticeship sector.
Over the past year, Grace has:
- Successfully progressed through her apprenticeship journey
- Represented the voice of care-experienced young people
- Spoken publicly about the opportunities and challenges faced by care-experienced learners
- Contributed to conversations about improving access to apprenticeships
Most recently, Grace spoke at the House of Lords during the launch of the Care to Apprenticeship report by Drive Forward Foundation, sharing lived experience and helping to highlight the importance of accessible pathways into employment.
Being featured by Skills England is another well-deserved recognition of her journey and contribution.
Why Support Matters
At Ginger Nut Training, we know that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always equally accessible.
This is why we continue to support initiatives that:
- Improve access to apprenticeships
- Promote social mobility
- Support care-experienced individuals
- Remove barriers to learning and employment
Financial support schemes such as the Care Leaver Apprenticeship Bursary can play an important role in helping talented young people focus on developing their skills and building their future.
The Ginger Nut Project
Grace’s story also reflects the wider aims of The Ginger Nut Project, which supports care-experienced individuals and others who may face additional barriers when accessing employment and apprenticeship opportunities.
Through partnerships, mentoring, careers experiences, work experience opportunities and supported progression routes, we continue to work towards creating pathways that are inclusive, accessible and meaningful.
Looking Ahead
We are delighted to see Grace’s story featured nationally and would like to congratulate her on this achievement.
Stories like Grace’s remind us why apprenticeships matter. With the right support, guidance and opportunities, apprenticeships can be a life-changing route into skilled employment and long-term career development.
Thank you to Skills England for sharing Grace’s experience and helping raise awareness of the positive impact the Care Leaver Apprenticeship Bursary can have on young people’s lives.
Congratulations, Grace. We look forward to seeing what you achieve next.