How Corinna Laing's childhood shaped her career

Corinna manages our Spring Nurseries and Oscars Childcare services.

But the work she does at Action for Children isn't her only achievement. Corinna was awarded a Senior Leaders Masters apprenticeship in Business Administration (MBA) and Chartered Manager status at the Chartered Management Institute.

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we spoke to Corinna about her career at Action for Children and her decision to complete an apprenticeship.

My career was hugely influenced by my own high Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). When I was 16, relationships within my family broke down. This lead to a placement by the local authority in a local Bed and Breakfast.

I enrolled at James Watt College to study Early Years Education, and this was the first step in my journey.

A key milestone in my career unfolded shortly after moving to Exeter in Devon. This was where I discovered ‘my professional home’ with Action for Children.

The charity was opening one of its first nurseries, then known as The Cedars. It was part of a neighbourhood nursery project under the Sure Start initiative. It was here that marked the beginning of my leadership journey.

In its early days, The Cedars began operations with a small team of three people and some capital funding.

Over the last 19 years, The Cedars has flourished. It's gone from strength to strength and is now part of the Spring group, becoming The Spring Cedars.

It was an exciting and transformative era for Sure Start Exeter, where the nursery played an integral role. We worked closely with the two other children's centres, achieving remarkable results as a multiagency team.

Being part of this dynamic environment, the growth of the Cedars, and contributing to the success of Sure Start Exeter were undeniably highlights in my career. And the collaborative spirit made it a memorable and rewarding experience.

Definitely the invaluable guidance and support of an exceptional manager, Christine Cottle. Christine was a Children Services Manager who retired from Action for Children this year.

With Christine's encouragement, I decided to embark on university education.

I successfully completed a Foundation Degree, followed by a BA Honours degree in Education. Action for Children’s support and their belief in my potential paved the way for my academic pursuits.

In 2019, I embarked on an Masters in Education. Unfortunately, the course was interrupted by the pandemic. Instead, I went on to successfully complete a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

This change improved my resilience. And alongside my manager (Director of Early Years), Jo French, it helped me navigate two businesses through a worldwide pandemic.

I am so grateful to my manager Jo and her support, guidance, and feedback through the Apprenticeship programme.

I am currently attending the Centre for Research in Early Childhood (CREC) and rejoined year two of the Masters in Education. I hope that CREC will supervise me to complete a PhD in 2025. 

By finding my place at Action for Children, I have not only gone beyond my own challenges, but helped make a difference in the lives of others.

I hope by sharing this glimpse of my journey it reminds people of the impact and influence they can have on the lives of others through education, resilience, and a commitment to positive change.