Rohan currently works in the R&D Finance Department at CUH as a Financial Management Apprentice.
He chose to do an apprenticeship at CUH because the Trust are part of the top 100 apprenticeship employers in the UK.
He says that there are a number of advantages to completing an apprenticeship, such as gaining valuable workplace experience along with an in depth knowledge of his course, all whilst earning money.
Why do you think that CUH are a good employer for apprenticeships?
CUH are an excellent employer as they value their employees and take their opinions into consideration with surveys and various social events being hosted throughout the year.
What does a typical day look like and what do you enjoy about your role?
Throughout my working day, I respond to queries, make additions to the patient expenses tracker, and routinely assist colleagues with various data entry tasks and ad-hoc reports. One of my daily tasks includes monitoring the shared email inbox and forwarding the emails to the corresponding recipients. On some days, I am able to shadow other divisions of Finance to gain a broader understanding of my job role. What I enjoy most about my role is learning how various processes work and being able to carry them out once I have learnt them thoroughly.
What sorts of things do you do for the off the job learning aspect of your apprenticeship and does this involve attending college or is it all completed at work?
I attend college once a week where a tutor is always on hand throughout the day to support those who have questions on certain topics along with study books and study tests on the AAT website. I also shadow other colleagues in the workplace regularly to gain more experience.
How have your department supported you within this apprenticeship?
My department have been hugely supportive with my apprenticeship, giving me the opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and experience of various Trust processes within my own and other areas of Finance. They have also supported me with relocating to Cambridge. My team are very friendly and always willing to assist if I have any queries on work.
What are your future intentions?
I would like to successfully complete my apprenticeship and continue progressing onto higher level apprenticeships and higher bands within Finance, such as a Level 3 or degree apprenticeship.
What advice would you give to others who may be looking to take on an apprenticeship?
I would strongly recommend taking one as it could give a head start to your career earlier on in life with the opportunity to progress onto more advanced roles as time goes on. An apprenticeship will also give you a more hands-on approach with the ability to build up work place experience and remain debt free.
The main theme of this year’s National Apprenticeship Week is skills for life. What are the most important skills for life that you have developed and how has your apprenticeship training helped to build them?
I would say that clear and concise communication is a hugely important skill that is key to my role, along with time management, which is necessary to meet deadlines and stick to a schedule throughout the day. My apprenticeship training has definitely helped me to build on these with them being easily transferrable into my personal life.