Hear from our staff

Please tell us about your current role and career path to date?
I began my career as a Health Care Assistant (HCA) and went on to do my Mental Health Nurse training 15 years ago. I worked in various roles as Registered Mental Health Nurse in different organisations, until I joined the Trust in January 2021 as a Clinical Lead for one of the Neighbourhood Mental Health teams. I decided that I wanted to develop myself further as a Leader and saw the Chartered Managers Degree in Health and Social Care advertised by Learning and Development as an apprenticeship, and thought I would apply! Whilst completing my apprenticeship I saw the General Manager to CEO post being advertised, and thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to use some of the skills I was learning on the course. Fortunately, I was successful at interview and have been in post now since March 2024. 

How did you learn about the Apprenticeship programme? Did you have any hesitations? What was your motivation behind starting an Apprenticeship?
I learnt about the apprenticeship programme through the Learning and Development news that gets shared throughout the trust. I was motivated to do the course as I had completed my appraisal with my manager and recognised that I wanted to do further learning so felt really motivated to engage in something new.

How did you find fitting in study alongside your day-to-day work?
It was tricky, particularly at the start, but I ensured I was blocking time out in my diary to make time for the course and had support from my manager. I was required to complete off the job hours as part of the course, but it’s amazing how much learning you do day to day within your role, which made this element easier.

Do you find people are surprised you are undertaking an Apprenticeship as there is sometimes a perception Apprenticeships are only for entry level employees with no experience?
Everyone was fully supportive that I was completing an apprenticeship.

How do you find the teaching style? Are you required to work individually or in groups?
The teaching style was very mixed, with lots of self-study. The assignments were really mixed and wasn’t just a written piece, I was required to record myself completing presentations and complete a full project, which is something I’d never done before so really pushed me as a learner.

What were the benefits of an Apprenticeship route for you?
I knew I wanted to do additional learning and either complete another degree or masters, but this felt almost impossible working full time with a young family and home to run, and I did not think it would ever be affordable. An apprenticeship meant I got the best of both worlds, I was able to continue working in a job I loved, whilst furthering my education and skills.

What do you feel the Apprenticeship has added to your skills/competencies? How do you feel it will benefit you in the long term?
The apprenticeship has given me so many new skills that I’m now applying day to day in my role. I had never done any formal project management learning prior to the course, so this has been really beneficial to my role. It has also helped me further develop my leadership skills, which will help me long term within my roles in the organisation.

What would you say to anyone considering an Apprenticeship who may be in a similar role to you?
Go for it! It may seem tough, particularly if you haven’t completed any formal learning for some time but it’s really worth it and has helped me progress within my career.