Employment
Classroom to Construction Site: Hands-On Learning for Foundation Apprentices
Foundation Apprenticeships create opportunities for pupils to take their first steps into industry. With our delivery in North Lanarkshire showcasing this by allowing a group of pupils form Coatbridge and St Ambrose High Schools undertaking their Foundation Apprenticeship on a live site.

In partnership with Kier, North Lanarkshire Council and hub South West Scotland we are able to deliver Foundation Apprenticeships on the site of St Kevin’s Community Hub. Allowing the young people to experience life in construction and understand what really happens on a live site.
Running through the duration of the academic year, from August 2024 to June 2025, the students attend every Friday and spend the full day in the environment of a live site. Throughout the year they will learn skills in bricklaying, joinery and more, along with soft skills such as employability. A significant part of their Foundation Apprenticeship is the completion of a work based project. To complete this they are building benches that will go into the Bargeddie Community Gardens, allowing the young people to make a tangible positive impact in their own community.
We thank our partners for the opportunity and experience provided to these young people. These collaborations provide students with insights into the construction industry’s expectations and opportunities, bridging the gap between education and employment. We believe that investing in apprentices is an investment in the future of the construction industry. Through collaboration, training, and real-world experience, we are preparing the next generation of skilled professionals who will go on to shape Scotland’s construction sector for years to come.

Inspiring Potential since 2001.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is a big deal here at tigers. We’re always excited to hear from candidates about their apprenticeships. We want to know what they learned and how they’ve grown as people, both personally and professionally.
During the week, we caught up with both Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships on their experiences, we had a look behind the scenes and made sure to have fun throughout the week.
Our content from the week
To kickstart Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025, we had the pleasure of joining Jackie Baillie MSP on a visit to Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre in Helensburgh. The visit was a fantastic opportunity to witness the impact of apprenticeships in early years education and to celebrate the commitment of those shaping the future of childcare.
To read this blog in full, please visit: Drumfork Nursery & Family Centre visit with Jackie Baillie MSP
Caitlyn shared her journey of completing a Level 4 (SCQF Level 9) Modern Apprenticeship in Early Years at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and how this has prepared her for her next steps into leadership!
We spoke to Jayden, Curtis & Lillie who showcase the benefits of the apprenticeship family, having completed Foundation Apprenticeships while at school, they are looking ahead with ambitions to undertake Modern Apprenticeships!
Having studied to become an Art Teacher, Katie struggled to find permanent work and looked towards Early Years. Now completing a Modern Apprenticeship at Lullaby Lane Nurseries, Katie is loving life in Early Years and we were delighted to be able to share her story!
Sophie first joined tigers as a Foundation Apprentice while at school, before completing an Early Years Modern Apprenticeship at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and is now back at tigers group as a Digital Marketing Apprentice!
Chloe has found her way into Construction through joining the team at tigers as an apprentice trainer! Working with the experienced team at our Construction Academy, Chloe is ready to inspire more young women into the industry!
We also went behind the scenes at our Construction Academy, with a day in the life, finding out what a day looks like completing a Modern Apprenticeship with tigers!
@tigersgroup_ Spend a day with us at our Construction Academy and find out more about what a #ModernApprenticeship with tigers entails! #ScotAppWeek25 #MadeForBusiness #InspiringPotential ♬ original sound - tigers
We had some fun, inviting all our apprentices to take park in the sunglasses trend, Scottish Apprenticeship Week edition
@tigersgroup_ Sunglasses trend Scottish Apprenticeship Week edition
#scotappweek25 #madeforbusiness #inspiringpotential #sunglassestrend #sunglasses #fyp #youngpeople ♬ original sound - 𝓆𝒾𝓁 - 𝔮𝔦𝔩
Paradigm Landscapes shared a thought-provoking blog on how they support the next generation, celebrating the opportunities that apprenticeships create for young people and businesses across Scotland!
Read this blog in full: Scottish Apprenticeship Week: How Paradigm Landscapes Supports the Next Generation
We were also proud to share a new blog, on what has been A Year of Exceptional Achievement in Qualification Delivery, which included highlighted starting Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025 with over 500 live candidates, all progressing through various qualifications. Along with having successfully certificated over 1000 candidates over the past year.
Read this blog in full: A Year of Exceptional Achievement in Qualification Delivery
We’re already looking forward to Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026, see you there!
Celebrating #IWD2025
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we’re shining a spotlight on the incredible women in leadership at Lullaby Lane Nurseries. This year, we’re privileged to share the stories and experiences of our talented depute managers, who bring passion, dedication, and inspiration to our nurseries every day.
In this special feature, you’ll hear firsthand about their unique journeys—from starting as apprentices to becoming leaders within our organisation. They’ll share insights on balancing work and family life, the challenges and rewards of being a working mother, and how they navigate the responsibilities of leadership while staying true to themselves.
Join us as we celebrate their achievements, learn from their experiences, and continue to support and uplift women in leadership roles at Lullaby Lane Nurseries and beyond.
Collette Cassidy

Hello, my name is Colette Cassidy, I am one of our Depute Managers at Lullaby Lane Nursery Milngavie.
My journey at Lullaby Lane started 10 years ago as a Modern Apprentice when I was only 16 years old. I have always been passionate about watching children grow & thrive. After 4 wonderful years of caring for our babies, I decided I would like to take the next step in my career. This is when I completed my SVQ Level 4 in Leadership & Management & progressed onto my team leader position. My passion has always been creating a safe, nurturing environment full of love for our children and now leading our team to support them grow & develop is now one of my many responsibilities.
In 2021 I first became a mum to my little boy, then 2022 we completed our family with my little girl. Returning from maternity leave was difficult but I was so fortunate to have a wonderful team around me to support. I had always wanted to continue to progress within my career after having my family. Upon my return to work I was promoted to Depute Manager.
I am forever grateful for the support in helping me to find a healthy work & family life balance.
Rachael McElroy

I have been with Lullaby for 8 years in June this year! Starting off my journey at Lullaby Westerton as a nursery practitioner then moving to our Milngavie site. Whilst in Milngavie I was promoted to Deputy Manager and moved back to our Westerton nursery. Throughout my time working my way up I have had nothing but support from all the ladies in leadership at Lullaby, without them I wouldn’t have the confidence I have today to be where I am!
Whilst at Westerton I was promoted to Manager, and I then fell pregnant with my first child. This was a whole new experience for me however the support from Pauline and Donna made the transition so much easier. I was thinking miles ahead in terms of when I would return/hours, however Pauline assured me just to enjoy my time with my boy as I wouldn’t know how I felt until I had him. When it was time to return, it was a scary stage. I struggled with post-natal anxiety and was starting to feel better but then it was time to settle my baby and return myself.
However, this was made so much easier as I was able to chat with Pauline regarding my hours and my position, as I was bringing Rio to Milngavie to support my work life balance. I also moved back to Milngavie and joined the leadership team as one of our deputy mangers.
I feel there is a stigma around women having a career and family however it is manageable if you’re able to set your own boundaries and have a fantastic team behind you like I do! The highlight of being in leadership is supporting our team to be the best they can be to support our children.
Natalie Agnew

My journey at Lullaby Lane started nearly 7 years ago. Before this I worked in the third sector and during my maternity leave with my first child, the funding for my role ended, so I began to look for other opportunities. This is when I came across Lullaby Lane. It was a daunting time returning to work after being in a baby bubble for so long, and especially to become the new person in the workplace again, but I was welcomed into the team with open arms and this really helped ease me back into the world of work after 9 months off.
I have continued to progress within the nursery from a modern apprentice up to my current role as Depute Manager. When I voiced that I’d like to take on more responsibility within the nursery this was always met with support and opportunities to allow me to do this. The leadership team championed me and if I ever needed help or made the wrong decision then someone was always there.
In between all of this, I’ve had my second baby, who will be 2 soon. Again, this was met with nothing but love and support from those around me at Lullaby.
This made going off on maternity leave and returning to work a lot easier than I imagined, as the connection was still maintained in a number of ways throughout my time off.
Of course, it’s always hard finding that balance between work and motherhood but working in a female orientated workplace you’re always met with people who you can relate to and who understand what it’s like when you’ve been up every hour throughout the night, or you don’t want to miss your child’s sports day. It helps you to realise that you’re not alone and you build a sense of community with people who are always there to pick you up when you need it. I’m lucky that the other deputes and our manager, Donna, are all working mums as well, so we all pull together to ensure we are getting that time to navigate being in a leadership role whilst being a mum.
There’s no better feeling when you’ve got people around you who celebrate your little ones as much as you do.
There can sometimes still be a stigma around women in leadership, and that women should have to choose between a career or a family, but with the right people around then it’s possible to be both.
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2024
Scottish Apprenticeship Week is always a highlight of the calendar here at tigers. We love to hear from candidates on their experiences during their apprenticeships, not only to hear about what they learned but also on how they’ve grown as an individual.
During the week we spoke to a range of Apprenticeships candidates, across Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships.
Aaron, Callum & Jack all completed Modern Apprenticeships as part of tigers Joint Venture with Morgan Sindall Construction and since completed their qualifications are now employed by Dalcon Civil Engineering working across Scotland!
Amyleigh & Harry first joined tigers when they undertook Foundation Apprenticeships while still at school. Since then they have both taken the next step and moved on to Modern Apprenticeships with Primrose City Nursery!
We also caught up with G4 Claims who have been upskilling their staff through SVQ’s in Management
Ewan found his opportunity with Paradigm Landscapes through tigers Joint Venture with Morgan Sindall Construction, he’s since completed his Modern Apprenticeship & joined Paradigm Landscapes as a Junior Landscaper!
We rounded off the week with Hollie sharing her story. After completing her Level 3 Hollie has taken the step up to Team Leader at Lullaby Lane, becoming a role model & inspiring the team around her as she now works towards her Level 4!
Scottish Apprenticeship Week also gave us an opportunity to again hear from our Schools partners, sharing the voices of teachers and pupils from Glasgow and West on the impact Foundation Apprenticeships have had in their schools.
You can find all of these videos over on our YouTube!
We’re already looking forward to Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2025!
Clare's journey back to the workplace
I found out from a family friend about a new programme starting called the Women Returners. This programme was developed to help mothers with young children return to the workplace. As I had not worked since my daughter and son were born, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity for me to gain some new skills which might help me to secure future employment.

When researching the programme, I found out that a local training company called tigers were delivering the courses in my area. I went onto to tigers website and saw that they delivered lots of different training programmes and had excellent testimonials from a wide variety of people. This gave me the confidence to apply to join the programme. I was very nervous and unsure of myself to begin with but the guy running the course put me at ease straight away. I found attending the course not only helped to build my confidence, I also gave me practical Microsoft Office experience. As part of the course, we were helped with CV writing, Job Applications and Interview Techniques. This was the kind of support I needed to get back into the workplace, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to return to the workplace.
I was told by the tutor that there was a vacancy for an administrator at Tigers and he thought I should apply. I was very anxious when I was invited for any interview. However, at the interview the panel were all very welcoming and helped to put me at ease. They told me about the company and what the main duties of the job role would be. They also assured me that they were aware that I had small children at nursery and school and where more than happy to be flexible with my working hours.
I was extremely happy to find out the same week of the interview that I had been successful and would be given the opportunity to join the team at Tigers. After a probationary period, I was offered a permanent contract, and was delighted. They also offered me the opportunity to gain a Modern Apprenticeship in Business & Administration Level 3. As I hadn’t studied since college over 10 years previously and had a young family, I was really worried about not being able to complete a qualification. However, they assured me that it was a work-based qualification and I would not be expected to do work at home. I meet with my assessor who explained all about the qualification and how my work duties would be part of the evidence needed for each unit. She also explained that she would visit me at work on a regular basis to observe me working and go over each unit and what was involved it gaining the evidence. I found this to be a really rewarding experience and it really helped me to understand my job better. Going through the individual units with my assessor gave me the confidence in my own ability and also gave me excellent new skills, which I could bring to my job.
I am really thankful to Tigers for giving me the opportunity to develop and grow new skills with excellent qualification which will help me to have a future career.
Clare Johnstone
Trainee Co-Ordinator
Lullaby Lane Nurseries Opens Third Location at Golf It!
We're in partnership with The R&A!
We are thrilled to announce the opening of our third location at the Golf It! complex in Glasgow. This exciting expansion comes in partnership with The R&A, the esteemed governing organisation of golf. The new nursery will open on 5th February 2024 and will provide childcare for children from aged two until primary school age.

With the opening of our third nursery, Lullaby Lane aims to extend its Attachment-Led ethos, prioritising the emotional needs of our children, to meet the growing demand for early learning and childcare facilities in Glasgow.
Pauline Scott, our owner and Managing Director expressed her enthusiasm for the new venture, stating, “We are absolutely delighted to open our third nursery at the Golf It! complex in Glasgow, in collaboration with The R&A. This partnership allows us to provide a high-quality care service to families, while being a part of a thriving, community-driven sports hub. This partnership has been values aligned from the beginning. We share the vision of creating community spaces where children can develop their individual talents and self-belief, in fun, playful, and experiential environments.”
Pauline added, “We believe in providing emotionally attuned, uniquely responsive, and loving relationships that support the healthy biological development of our children. We know that children’s learning, exploration, and creativity is optimised when they are in the presence of emotionally regulated and developmentally informed adults. We believe in the adage ‘start with the adults present in the lives of children’ and we will be sharing our ethos and practice with our families by offering them our unique ‘Daring Ventures’ programme. We look forward to welcoming families to visit our nursery throughout December and January, and to officially welcoming our first families in February.”
We are delighted to announce that Christopher Keane, our current Deputy Manager at Lullaby Lane Nursery Milngavie will become the new nursery manager.

Chris commented, “I am honoured to be part of the Lullaby Lane Nurseries team and excited to lead our new nursery at Golf It! We are dedicated to partnering with our families to ensure each child receives the individual care they deserve. Our Attachment-Led Practice aims to support our children’s emotional safety by creating a home from home environment where we put the emotional well-being of the child at the core of all our practice and policies. An example of this is that at Lullaby Lane we offer our families free and unlimited settling in (building a relationship) sessions that are child-led. We also encourage home visits so that the child’s care practitioner can spend time with our children in their own environment. This helps to develop secure and trusting relationships before it is time for families to separate from their children.
As the manager, it is my responsibility to care for the adults who are caring for the children. I believe in prioritising the emotional wellness of our team and providing them with learning opportunities that build their confidence and knowledge in the science of Attachment Theory, early brain development, play and learning.”
Families interested in applying for a place at Lullaby Lane Nurseries can visit the company’s website at www.lullabylanenurseries.com or contact the nursery directly to schedule a visit on hogganfield@lullabylanenursery.co.uk.
324 New Foundation Apprentices join tigers
Our new academic year has started with real purpose across our three thriving learning academies.
We are proud to have welcomed 324 new Foundation Apprentices from 6 different Local Authority areas into our learning environments since the beginning of September 2023.

In the words of our Group Managing Director, Pauline Scott, “At tigers we understand that significant learning and development only happens in the presence of secure, positive relationships.”
“Creating environments, alongside our values aligned partners, that support that understanding, we believe is a key driver in the success of our Foundation Apprenticeship delivery,” said Alex Wright our Business Skills Academy Manager.
The pupils drawn from 20 schools across the West of Scotland will undertake a range of Foundation Apprenticeships in the following industry sectors ;
- Construction
- Business Skills
- Early Years
Tigers Foundation Apprenticeships’ offer pupils the opportunity to move out of the traditional classroom and learn through vocational education in tandem with our ethos of relationship led practice.
At tigers we believe that a vocational education is a first class education and in the coming weeks we will be sharing further commentary from our partners and apprentices, who have experienced our Foundation Apprenticeship delivery in the previous academic year, who echo that sentiment.
You can follow that commentary and share your own experiences both here and on our social media channels.
For the next eight weeks we will share more content from our schools partners, across our socials at 8am each Friday morning, starting next week 27th October when you will hear from Bannerman High School in Glasgow about their tigers experience in 2022/23.
Inspiring Potential since 2001.
Tigers and Partick Thistle team up to promote skills development
Tigers are thrilled to work alongside Partick Thistle and a group of young apprentice footballers as they kick off their, in club, learning by studying for a Digital Marketing Diploma early in their footballing careers.
A diploma which will see the young players learn skills in;
The principles of Social Media and Goal Setting
Imaging and Video Software
Content Marketing and Online Advertising
Blogging and Search Marketing
Data Analysis and Reporting
Business Environments, Regulations, Legalities and Ethics

John Gibson, Chairman of the Tigers Group shared that,” At Tigers we exist to inspire and support people to develop their infinite potential and we see this initiative as being reflective of that purpose. Tigers have a strong, long standing, values aligned, relationship with Partick Thistle Football Club and we applaud the club for embracing the opportunity to offer learning and skills development which will ultimately provide young footballers with choice as they progress on their career journeys.”
Chief Commercial and Operations Office at Partick Thistle, Beth Adamson, commented that, “We are thrilled to have the Tigers Group supporting our modern apprentices throughout their 2-year apprenticeship. The innovative marketing course has already captured the imagination of our 6 apprentices who look forward to each session with course leader Oliver Butler, learning exciting techniques in the world of marketing and media.
Tigers Group have a proven record of providing young people with the tools they require to succeed in the world of work, so it is really exciting for us to be working closely with them for our apprenticeship scheme.”
We asked the young footballers why they were opting to take part in the Digital Marketing qualification.
Jamie said, “I’m doing it so that I’ve got a plan b just in case football doesn’t work and it’s a good opportunity to learn something new. In the future I’d like to create a business, so I think it would help with that and it’s going to give me some of the skills to know how to do it.”
Jai commented, “I’m doing it to find a different way of opening your own business, something different from football. Knowing how to do different social media posts and put them out there.”
Our lead trainer, the inimitable Oliver Butler, commented on the first day of training, “I’m hoping to support the young players learning about the world of digital marketing and give them something to think about when their illustrious playing careers are over. Today we’re covering a bit of social media, best practice, the tools available to you and how to make a real success on social media.”
For further details and to find out how tigers can support your own club or organisation through Modern Apprenticeship training delivery contact office@tigersltd.co.uk
Inspiring Potential since 2001.
the close community
We invite you to join the close community
An experience exploring early childhood development & relationships
At tigers we believe the answer to many of the challenges being faced by our children & young people is connection and love.
This belief is what inspired us to create this single day experience which brings together inspirational speakers who will interweave the science of connection with stories and experiences of impact offering you invaluable insight to support your daily interaction with our children and young people.
Our speakers are:
John Carnochan, Co-founder of Scottish Violence Reduction Unit
Kate Silverton, Author, Journalist & Child Therapist
Nikki Black MBE, Nursery Head in Glasgow
Ryan McCuaig, Lawyer & Speaker
In the words of Early Years Academy Manager, Yvonne Stanley; “This experience will bring a community of people together from a variety of sectors, exploring the significance of relationships to support children and young people’s wellbeing.
We are seeing the struggles of our children and young people who are presenting with ever increasing levels of anxiety, concern, uncertainty, and stress. We believe the impact of COVID 19 has only served to heighten these feelings
It will provide an opportunity for us all to understand how relationships surrounded by love and connection really can make a difference.”

Inspiring Potential since 2001.
Tigers and BE-ST combine to support young apprentices
In Scottish Apprenticeship Week we are delighted to share news of a fresh collaboration between ourselves at Tigers Group and the team at BE-ST Built Environment – Sustainable Transformation (formerly the Construction Innovation Centre).
Having successfully bid for and been awarded a contract to deliver Foundation Apprenticeships by South Lanarkshire Council our colleagues at Tigers Construction Academy are delighted to share that we will host this training programme at BE-ST premises in Blantyre.
The environment at BE-ST offers our young apprentices – drawn from a number of schools across South Lanarkshire – a safe learning space, surrounded by innovation and we at tigers are pleased that BE-ST were keen to offer access to their resources supporting the young people’s learning.
We are confident that collaborating with values aligned and purpose driven partners will add to the learning experience of the young apprentices participating on this Construction Craft Level 5 programme.

On behalf of BE-ST, deputy CEO Douglas Morrison said, “Foundation apprenticeships are not only a vital investment in the future of our developing workforce, but also a powerful tool for supporting sustainable development. By equipping young people with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the construction industry, we can accelerate our transition to a zero carbon built environment. We are delighted to support Tigers and South Lanarkshire Council to nurture and empower our next generation of construction professionals, for the benefit of our planet, our industry, and our communities.”
Tigers Group Commercial Director, Gerry Hamill, also commented, “We are excited to see our relationship with a values based, purpose driven partner flourish in this way. We believe young people learn best, grow and thrive, in whatever career they choose, when they’re fully supported in a safe environment. Delivering our Foundation Apprenticeship programme at BE-ST will provide our young learners with exactly that. At tigers we are focussed on supporting young people to develop their infinite potential and vocational education offers that opportunity.”
South Lanarkshire Councils, Scott McDermott also added, “The delivery of the Foundation Apprentices in construction at level 5 is part of our Work based learning ‘Gradu8’ programme targeted at pupils in their senior phase of school. Pupils love these courses as they provide practical based skills and qualifications that offer a route into the construction industry. We are delighted to be working in partnership with TIGERS training to design and deliver this construction training in a dynamic and flexible way. We are excited see the benefits a sector leading company such as BE-ST can provide to the overall experience for our young people.”

You can follow the journey of our young apprentices on our social media channels and on our website at learnwithtigers.co.uk in the coming weeks and months.
For further information or to discuss future potential partnership opportunities with tigers please send an e-mail in the first instance to office@tigersltd.co.uk