Maria Cross not only passed her Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care, she aced it by completing her training in six months, rather than the fifteen it normally takes everyone else to finish. As well as that, Maria - who hails from Caerphilly - scooped the Outstanding Achievement Award at training provider ACT's recent annual Apprenticeship Awards. Not bad for someone who left school at the tender age of fourteen.
Here's what Maria's assessor, Tracey Lever, said about Maria: “Maria came to ACT as part of a work-based training group, wanting to improve her confidence and develop her core skills in health and social care. Her main barrier was a “can’t do” attitude, particularly when it came to English and Maths, which she struggled with having left school so long ago. “During the programme, Maria’s confidence improved and she started to really stand out. I was blown away when she completed the qualification in just 6 months – for somebody who hasn’t been in a classroom for 30 years, that’s an incredible achievement! “
The Apprenticeship Awards were created to celebrate the achievements of learners across our apprenticeship routes. The outstanding achievement award recognises someone who particularly excelled during their apprenticeships or who may have overcame difficult barriers to complete their qualifications. Maria has done both. She thoroughly deserves this award.” Which just goes to show that you don't have to go straight from education into an apprenticeship.
And what's Maria planning on doing now? She's going to train as a nurse - once she's completed her Level 3 apprenticeship!
