National Apprenticeship Week 2022 – 7 to 13 Feb

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

It’s called Healthcare Science Associate – Level 4. I’m learning about the body systems, lung function testing, ECG (electrocardiogram) interpretation and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as well as other topics that are essential to becoming a successful healthcare science associate such as person-centred care, research, communication, learning and legal and ethical requirements. This includes some theoretical study at a college and then practical learning in the workplace that includes written assessments as well as physical evidence of my ability to perform and understand the tests that are included within the apprenticeship.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

I have really enjoyed learning about respiratory physiology since joining the team at Sheffield Children’s and wanted to further this knowledge so that I could perform and understand some of the more complex lung function testing that is often important in the diagnosis and management of lung conditions.

How did you get into your current role?

I saw an advertisement on the NHS jobs website. All my training had been in-house until I started the apprenticeship.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I’d like to further my study into respiratory physiology – potentially looking at a degree – with the end goal of becoming a qualified respiratory physiologist.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Applying for the apprenticeship was easy and I was supported throughout. My manager makes sure I get a study day every week either for dedicated learning or for completing my assignments. I’m still earning my normal wage so I’m not worried about supporting my family and I get to learn new things and will eventually have a qualification that will open lots of doors for employment opportunities. It’s definitely worth it!

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I enrolled on a Customer Service apprenticeship in June 2021. My apprenticeship includes 37.5 hours a week within the Hearing Services department, and one day a month study at college.

This college study involves attending study sessions where we are presented with lessons and assignments to complete. As well as this I need to complete nine hours of relevant off-the-job hours each week, this includes tasks such as attending meetings.

When I left school I achieved a grade D in Maths, which isn’t recognised as a qualification by many employers. I was therefore given the opportunity to attend a five week college course for one day a week to retake my exam.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

Having heard nothing but good things about the NHS and how it is a great place to work – and seeing the passion and strength of the staff throughout the establishment in the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic – fuelled my ambition to start working as part of it. Even more so because I have family members who are also part of the NHS and I heard how highly they speak of their roles.

I then turned my thinking to how I could begin my career journey and started reading into apprenticeships within the NHS. I thought this was a great idea as it meant I was able to begin my career within the Trust while at the same time gaining transferable experience and a qualification that is recognised by future employers.

What is your current role?

My current role is a Level 2 Customer Service apprenticeship which includes reception duties such as checking in patients or greeting visitors to department and general admin duties; anything from photocopying and dealing with incoming post to scanning correspondence/notes to the electronic patient record system.

I’ve also developed my telephone skills to make sure I can arrange patient appointments and answer general enquiries and trained in using Trust systems to prepare clinic notes for the next day and complete patient outcomes.

How did you get into your current role?

I saw this role on the NHS Jobs website, so I applied and a week or so later I was told that my application had been successful and I was invited to attend an interview.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest achievement on the apprentice to date is completing the five week maths course and securing a grade C. After having retaken my Maths exam five times before starting this apprenticeship – and having no luck – I found the teacher on this course, Martin, was great! He had lots of knowledge and was able to teach it in a fun way which led to me securing this qualification.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

Upon successful completion of my apprenticeship I am hoping to enrol onto a Level 3 apprenticeship to further my knowledge and experience, this door has only been made accessible to me though gaining my maths qualification. Without it I would not have met the entry requirements to further progress.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

I would say definitely do it. It is a great way to gain invaluable and transferable skills while expanding upon experience and also learning everyday on the job towards gaining a qualification that is highly recognised by future employers.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

The ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) 5 Leadership and Management diploma. It involves completing knowledge and skills assignments on a variety of topics such as operational management, project management, finance and communication. You also need to demonstrate how 20% of your working time is outside of your day-to-day work, increasing your knowledge and skills.

There is also an exam to complete and an end point presentation to an outside assessor.

How did you get into your current role?

I was a Clinical Nurse Manager on Sapphire Lodge (an adolescent general mental health ward) at the Becton Centre and I applied for a secondment to work on creating a new electronic patient record for inpatient CAMHS. When the project was completed it was decided that further work needed to be done on the electronic patient records for all of CAMHS. As I had experience and an interest in developing the system, I was successful in getting the job.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

Passing Functional Skills Maths level 2.  I’d got a D at GCSE many years ago and thought that was as good as I’d ever be able to do, when I was told I had to pass Functional Skills Maths I was really worried and thought that I wouldn’t be able to do it.  When I passed it first time and got 92% I was really shocked and happy!

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I originally thought that I’d want a break from studying, but now I’d be interested in doing more. I am thinking about what I want to do moving forward in my career and doing this apprenticeship will definitely influence what I do.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Make sure it’s right for you; get all of the details before you make a decision. Having a line manager that is on board with what you’re doing and will be supportive is really important. Be prepared to be pushed out of your comfort zone, but if you really commit to it will all be worth it!

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I’m studying Business Administration Level 3. It involves a mix of study, including a one day per month teaching session, current taught on Google classroom, and this training is outside my normal job role and helps me progress through the apprenticeship, gain more knowledge and skills and allows me to work on my portfolio.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

I wanted to gain a better understanding of how my role fits in to the organisational structure and how I can engage, support and contribute to the efficiency of my workplace. I wanted to develop my existing skills in administrative systems such as organising diaries, meetings and travel arrangements as well as managing resources, facilities and administration processes. It was also an opportunity to learn more about the different laws and regulations associated with quality so that I can understand compliance and appropriately support the departments with achieving this.

What is your current role?

My role is to provide administrative, record keeping, data collection and audit support to help make sure Sheffield Children’s retain our UKAS accreditation. This is really important because it provides assurance to our patients that their test results are accurate and reliable.

How did you get into your current role?

I started working for the NHS around 17 years ago as a temporary Data Entry Clerk in the Clinical Chemistry department at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and this is where I first became interested in pathology. I completed a Health Science Access course at Sheffield College in 2010 and then went on to graduate in Human Biology BSc (Hons) at Sheffield Hallam University in 2013. When I left university I secured a position as a Medical Laboratory Assistant at the Jessops Fertility Hospital and this is where I gained experience of External Quality Assessments and Quality Assurance. The thing that attracted me to the position of Quality Assistant at the Sheffield Children’s is that I can combine my previous administration experience and laboratory knowledge into one. I also love that there are lots of opportunities to learn new skills and room for development within my role.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest achievement so far is that I am keeping up with my deadlines and able to submit my work on time and to a high standard. I have a family and work part time so this has been very challenging for me to fit it all in.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I hope to use the knowledge and skills gained through the apprenticeship to develop my current role further so that I can take on extra responsibilities and support my team. I will also look out for any other training opportunities available to me that may help to advance my career in the future.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Go for it! It can be very challenging at times to fit it all in, with action plans to complete, normal work duties and 20% off the job learning as well, but it is definitely worth it. You will gain so much knowledge and experience and the opportunities it can open up are endless!

Photo taken before PPE guidance was introduced.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I’m studying the Radiography apprenticeship, it involves learning about the anatomy of the body, physics and there are work based tasks. I have assignments, there’s online teaching and exams, and practical days in university.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

Fantastic opportunity to further my career and skill set.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

It’s definitely passing all of my end-of-year exams and assessments. I proved to myself that I can achieve this.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I want to continue working in a hospital, providing care to patients and families.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Do it!

Photo taken before PPE guidance was introduced.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I’m on the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) Level 3 Leadership and Management course. It involves monthly remote learning sessions, lots of assignment work, and tasks relating to the role I am working in.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

To develop my skills and confidence in team management, I also wanted work-based learning where I could relate my work and experiences towards a qualification. As a previous NVQ assessor, I saw the benefits of work-based learning and I felt it would be the right way for me to learn.

What is your current role?

I have worked for the Trust since 2002, as a Play Specialist working in Emergency Department and Burns Service. I had a little break in between departments outside of the NHS where I managed a crèche and children club, then worked for a training and development company delivering NVQs in childcare, learning and development. I returned to Sheffield Children’s in 2010 where I was the Burns Unit Play Specialist. The opportunity of managing the play service at Sheffield Childrens hospital came along in 2018 so I applied and here I am now.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

I recently held a meeting with my team. Everyone came, enjoyed the meeting and my assessor thought it was great meeting where the team were fully engaged and they had respect for me as a manager.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

Have a rest… and of course put my knowledge and skills that I have learnt into practice. One day I would like to go onto the Level 5 ILM as an apprenticeship. I have every intention of the team growing, and the service developing so that I can be part of putting Sheffield on the map for play and youth services!

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

Do it… but expect a lot of hard work. It’s worth it though, I am so much more confident and better in my role! You need lots of support to get through, I managed OK considering that I have a three year old too!

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I am currently studying Customer Service Business Practitioner Level 2, which involves learning about all different types of customer service and how to use these skills in the workplace. Each month I’m given assignments to complete which range from research on workplace values to customer service conflict and how to develop myself to become the best I can be in my job.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

I wanted to start a career in the NHS but I also wanted to develop my skills even further and challenge myself by getting back into education. After researching about the apprenticeships within the NHS I knew this would be the right role for me.

How did you get into your current role?

I applied on the NHS Jobs website and specifically looked for apprenticeships until this one came up, I applied which was very easy and made it through the interview day which was a great, relaxed experience. I got the offer the same week and with my first choice department.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest achievement has to be the confidence I have gained since I started the apprenticeship – not only with communication – but also as a person. Knowing I can achieve and tackle anything in the future to create a career will help see me through to the end of the course happy.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I want to start my career in administration within a patient-facing environment to get extra experience and grow my confidence even more.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

I would say apply as soon as you see the post, I have missed out on opportunities before and regretted it. I now love what I do and I know I will get a great qualification to put towards a dream career. The confidence it gives you and the many different skills you pick up along the way will set you off in the right direction.

Photo taken before PPE guidance was introduced.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I am studying a master’s degree in Advanced Clinical Practice. This involves an equal mix of academic study and working in clinical practice.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

Having worked as a Nurse for 15 years I was ready for a new challenge that involved working directly with patients. I had also been looking into getting a master’s degree. The apprenticeship route of study has providing funding for this training which encompasses both the academic and clinical challenge and progression I was looking for.

How did you get into your current role?

I had worked as a Nurse on Critical Care since qualifying in 2007. After seven years, I moved into management roles, working as a Bed Manager and then a Ward Manager. When the training post on Critical Care was advertised, I felt the role of Advanced Clinical Practitioner would allow me to use my existing skills and experience whilst developing new and interesting skills at the same time.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

I am proud to be able to provide advanced clinical care to patients within Critical Care. I am continuously gaining new knowledge and skills, both the course and the clinical team that support my training have pushed me to do more than I thought I could. I am also proud of the academic achievements in the university modules I have studied so far and being able to succeed in this training whilst balancing a young family as well.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

I would encourage anyone to consider an apprenticeship. It allows for a balance of practical work and academic study which complement each other. I feel this approach accelerates the learning process whilst also keeping it challenging and interesting. It is also a route which can work well with family life.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

I am currently studying Customer Service Practitioner Level 2, based in the Education, Learning and Organisational Development department. I aim to provide friendly and efficient customer service to Trust colleagues in responding to their enquiries regarding ESR, eLearning, courses bookings, managing room bookings, and minute taking within meetings.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

I have always had an interest in the NHS and felt this would be the perfect opportunity to gain a qualification and help find a job that would then allow me to progress. I felt the Trust would allow me to continue my professional growth and develop the skill needed for a future career.

How did you get into your current role?

I was exploring apprenticeships in the trusts in my local area and found the vacancy on the NHS Jobs website. I felt that this would be the perfect opportunity for me to develop my skills in an organisation I was interested in and allow me to further my customer service experience. I previously worked within customer service, therefore this opportunity meant I could progress and hopefully pursue a career within the Trust.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest achievement in the apprenticeship so far would be when the department was short staffed within a particular area I was asked to cover this area. I felt proud that I was able to pick up this work so quickly and made a real difference to the department’s objectives. Completing work for my apprenticeship has also helped build my confidence.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

Upon completing this apprenticeship, I would like to find a job, hopefully within the organisation, which will allow me to continue my professional development and provide me with the opportunities for a successful career.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

I would highly recommend an apprenticeship to anyone considering it. Apprenticeships allow you to gain experience working within an organisation which equips you with all the tools and skills you need to progress. Learning on the job can often help you to develop necessary and important skills to progress in a career.

Photo taken before PPE guidance was introduced.

What apprenticeship are you studying and what does the study involve?

The Trainee Nursing Associate course. This involves working full time within the Trust plus going to university one day a week. I also have assignments and extra learning to seek out whilst at work.

Why did you want to do the apprenticeship?

I had worked as a Clinical Support Worker at the Trust for 11 years and wanted to progress and try something new. This was a really good way to continue to work and gain more practical skills whilst gaining theoretical learning.

The Trainee Nursing Associate role was advertised on NHS Jobs. I knew of the course and had actively been checking to see when it would be advertised.

What has been your proudest achievement on your apprenticeship to date?

That I have been able to do the university side well, I have gained some great feedback and I feel really happy with my work. That we have actually done the entire course throughout the period of a global pandemic and I am now about to qualify, I feel very proud of this.

What do you want to do once you complete your apprenticeship?

I want to continue to work in the Emergency Department as a qualified Nursing Associate and to complete my preceptorship. I would also possibly like to help out with this course in the future, to help new apprentices and students in their studies and practice.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

To go for it. Even if you think it may be too much work, commitment, etc – it’s worth it. It’s a great way to gain all the extra skills, experience and the confidence to better yourself whilst still being in a familiar area.

Photo taken before PPE guidance was introduced.

Which apprenticeships do you currently offer?

Customer Service Level 2 Administration. In the Audiology Department we test children and young people’s hearing from 0 to 16 years. There is a dedicated team providing admin and secretarial support to the clinical team.

 What benefits have apprenticeships brought to your department?

An extra team member can help make busier times less stressful as they are able to deal with some tasks. It can also help improve working practices as an apprentice will often ask why a task is done in a certain way.

Apprentices are also able to help with some tasks for the clinic staff, enabling then to concentrate on their clinic activity.

What has been your proudest achievements for your apprenticeship programmes?

Almost all our apprentices have gone on to permanent positions within this Trust or other trusts.

What would you say to other organisations considering employing apprentices?

It is well worth considering taking on an apprentice. You do need to commit your time to oversee an apprentice on occasions, e.g. attending tutor reviews or some training and allow time for college attendance and course work completion. However, the benefits far outweigh any extra input. It’s very fulfilling to see their confidence build as they take ownership of the tasks they are allocated – even more so when they gain permanent employment within your organisation.