(working towards the Occupational Therapy Level 6 Degree)
I chose to complete the apprenticeship at Cambridge University Hospitals as I was already working here as a Band 4 Technical Instructor within the Occupational Therapy Team. I feel the apprenticeship journey of achieving a degree works for me as I enjoy working alongside learning.
I am a person who worked for a completely different company for 17 years before moving to CUH with no previous NHS experience. I have been encouraged and supported along my journey even though I initially thought I was “too old”.
I have realised you are never too old to change career and undertake something new.
Why do you think that CUH are a good employer for apprenticeships?
CUH offer a wide range of apprenticeships and they support people of any age.
What does a typical day look like and what do you enjoy about your role?
My day is spent on the wards, assessing patient’s cognition and their ability to be able to complete activities of daily living, such as getting washed and dressed, whether they are able to make a drink or meal.
I love the patient interactions and being able to make a difference. Patients require support in so many different ways meaning each day and each session is different. Each session means so much to people and the smiles you get makes the hard work meaningful.
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 University one day a week and have to complete 4 hours minimum off the job learning. This is spent with registered therapists to understand why they undertake the assessments that they do and to understand why they make their decisions in regards to supporting the patient on discharge.
I spend time shadowing other departments to further my communication skills and understanding of other departments.
How have your department supported you within this apprenticeship?
My department allow me time to spend with other departments and are highly supportive of me developing my knowledge and skills.
What are your future intentions?
I would love to see myself as a Band 7 within the Occupational Therapy Team in the future. I enjoy being a leader and enjoy the responsibilities within this role and feel I will (one day) be able to offer the support to a team that I am given now.
What advice would you give to others who may be looking to take on an apprenticeship?
Ask lots of questions and ask to shadow teams to get a deeper understanding of the job role and department you are looking at studying.
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?
To me communication is one of the most important skills for life – being able to communicate with your patients in different ways is extremely important and listening to your patients helps build up the rapport and also is invaluable in a patient session. I am learning to have self-confidence when speaking about hard subjects and having to tell the patient something they do not want to hear. Spending time with others is helping me learn how to navigate these situations.