A BARRY teenager is having her ambition to work with children fulfilled thanks to work based learning support from youth charity Rathbone Training.

Carly Ludvigsen, 18, left sixth form after successfully completing her GCSEs to study childcare at Rathbone Barry.

Carly wanted to get practical workplace experience as well as learning in a classroom.

“I tried my best in sixth form for a year but just wasn’t comfortable in a closed learning environment. When I heard about the support that Rathbone could offer it seemed a much better fit for me,” said Carly.

Rathbone helped Carly get a work placement at Gibbonsdown Children’s Centre where she could develop her skills and confidence working with children in the play centre and in an after school club.

“Since I started my journey with Rathbone back in June 2013 they have given me the direction and motivation to achieve valuable qualifications and experience so I can take the next step in my career ambitions,” said Carly.

Carly has also achieved a BTEC in Caring for Children and progressed on to a Level 3 Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE) qualification at Cardiff and the Vale College with support from Rathbone.

“Carly received so much positive praise from her supervisors during her work experience and has shown so much determination we’re all really proud of her for gaining a place at college,” said Vicki Thomas, who was Carly’s Care Assessor and Tutor at Rathbone.

This is just one success story for Rathbone as part of Work Experience Week which is dedicated to highlighting the benefits of work experience to employers, providers and young people.

For more information on Rathbone and the services they can offer, please visit www.rathboneuk.org.

You can also follow Rathbone on Twitter at @rathbone_uk or like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RathboneUK.