Hannah loves watching her learners flourish and succeed

One of the biggest rewards of Hannah Kane-Roberts’ job is supporting learners through their journey and watching them flourish and succeed.

Hannah, 27, from Splott, Cardiff, is a youth tutor at work-based learning provider Itec’s Cardiff Centre where she works with learners who struggle to engage with education and who have multiple barriers to employment and learning.

An impressive 80% of her learners achieve a positive progression to employment, an apprenticeship or further learning and Hannah has achieved a 100% activity success rate in the employability qualification she delivers to her learners.

Each individual’s learning and development programme is personally tailored thanks to the positive contribution that Hannah has made to reviewing and redesigning Itec’s Traineeships curriculum in partnership with learners, in 2019.

In recognition of her work, Hannah has been shortlisted for the Work-based Learning Tutor of the Year award at the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021.

This annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships will see 35 finalists compete in 12 categories for awards. The winners will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony on April 29.

Highlight of the work-based learning calendar, the awards showcase businesses and individuals who have excelled on the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes and gone the extra mile to achieve success during these unprecedented times.

The awards are jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW). Openreach, the UK’s digital network business and passionate supporter of apprenticeships, has renewed its headline sponsorship of the awards.

The Apprenticeship Programme in Wales is funded by the Welsh Government with support from the European Social Fund.

Hannah began her career with Itec in 2016 as a volunteer before progressing to an additional learning support worker, classroom assistant, learner coach and her current role.

Passionate about continuous professional development (CPD), she has achieved a Level 4 Learner Coach qualification, BSc (Hons) degree in Sport and Physical Education and a Professional Graduate Certificate In Education.

Hannah supports colleagues with their CPD and excels at engaging external organisations to become delivery partners to help learners to address barriers to work.

During lockdown, she maximized the use of digital platforms to ensure that her learners continued to progress and produced ‘How to Guides’ for tutors and learners using digital platforms.

“Being an educator allows me to keep learning but, most importantly, I can encourage each learner to think beyond their comfort zones and challenge them to reach their fullest potential,” said Hannah. “I strongly believe that every learner deserves a chance, regardless of their current situation or barriers to learning.”

Esther Barnes, Itec’s human resources director, said: “Hannah is highly regarded by her learners and work colleagues and consistently receives high-levels of positive learner feedback. Her personalised approach means each learner is treated as an individual with no two learner journeys being the same.”

Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said:

“Our Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes are helping people fulfil their career ambitions and I’m delighted we have already reached our target of creating 100,000 apprenticeships in this Senedd term. 

“This has been key in helping apprentices of all ages to gain important skills and experience that we know businesses across all sectors of the economy in Wales really need. This will be vital as we emerge from the pandemic.

“Apprenticeship Awards Cymru provides an excellent opportunity to celebrate and showcase the achievements of all involved, from star apprentices to skilled learning providers.

“I’d like to congratulate all the finalists announced for this year’s event and wish each and every one all the best for the future.”