Liam is 18 years old and he is a Teaching Assistant apprentice through Inspire ATA, where he has his placement at Thomas Bewick School, a specialist school for autistic children and young people in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The school caters for children and young people aged 4 -19 years with a range of abilities and differences associated with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and all pupils have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP).
Lian has always had a passion for working with children and enjoys being able to support them through their journey. He finding his apprenticeship really rewarding and would recommend the TA route to anyone looking for a career in the teaching sector.
In a recent meeting with Emily Nicholson, Liam shared his story.
One of the main reasons for doing an apprenticeship was the aspect of being paid, rather than going college, where you’re not. I have always wanted to work with children but I’d never thought about working with SEN children until I found this role."
Whilst it is challenging at times, I find it immensely rewarding when the children achieve a milestone. It’s such a great experience knowing you’ve been there to support them throughout.
When I first started my apprenticeship, I was moving house and found it really difficult to manage my time between placement, assignments and moving home. I have really worked hard at time management and now I am moving again and feel my time management skills have improved so it will be a much smoother process this time.
This apprenticeship has taught me how to manage myself better so I can ensure all tasks are completed and on time.
The next career path move for me is becoming a fully qualified teacher as I love the aspect of supporting children in their journeys and wish to further my career in this area.”
