Nursery group Busy Bees has selected five UK managers and practitioners to visit Canada on an international talent exchange programme next month.

The group will be part of a cohort of 30 colleagues from across Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. They will spend three weeks in Calgary, Alberta, working in local Busy Bees nurseries, exploring the latest global trends in early years care and education, and collaborating on innovative projects. 

The practitioners selected are centre directors Emma Smith, Busy Bees Glasgow Oakwood and Victoria Watson, Montessori by Busy Bees Fortune Green, West Hampstead, as well as Catherine Whittaker, assistant centre director, Busy Bees Belper Alton Manor, Hannah Chamberlain, senior room manager Busy Bees Rugby, and Katy Officer, early years educator at Busy Bees Chatham.

The Talent Exchange Program, which runs from 25 September to 13 October,  aims to give Busy Bees employees hands-on experience of early years care and education operations in another country, as well as sharing international best practices and different working cultures.

Emma Langford, European people director for Busy Bees, said: “As the only early learning provider offering such a programme, this is a unique chance for our people to expand their knowledge and make a difference. Previous participants have praised the Talent Exchange Programme’s impact on their professional development and the expertise they can bring back to their UK centres.”

Busy Bees employs almost 10,000 people across the UK and operates in ten countries – UK, Ireland, Italy, Canada, USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Australia and New Zealand.