Chloe currently works in PR & Communications as a Communications Business Manager.
She has only recently started in this role and her apprenticeship started when she was working in Blood Sciences as a Data Compliance Administrator where she was dealing with data and working on Excel on a daily basis.
She chose to take on an apprenticeship because she wanted to develop her data analysis and presentation skills, and progress in her career within the hospital.
Chloe was a finalist in the National 2022 Multicultural Apprenticeship Awards in the Healthcare category, and has recently been nominated and now shortlisted for the Cambridge Spark Data Awards, in the category: Data Citizen Apprentice of the Year.
What does a typical day look like in your role?
Since starting the apprenticeship in September 2021 my role has changed. I was working as a Band 4 Data Compliance Administrator in Blood Sciences and in May 2022 I joined Division A as a band 5 PA to the Head of Nursing, where they specialise in musculoskeletal (MSK), digestive diseases, major trauma, the intensive care unit (ICU), and perioperative care. My role incorporated an element of project management, and included creating a new weekly Quality and Safety Specialist Review process to provide a comprehensive oversight of nursing risk management.
The PA side of my role included meeting organisation – co-ordinating dates, gathering relevant data such as the nursing metrix data from cheques, working with dashboards to produce reports, and creating slide presentations for meetings, taking minutes, plus many other tasks.
Just as I complete my apprenticeship, I have just started a new Band 6 role in Communications, as their Business Manager which is a varied role that includes managing a small administrative team, HealthRoster (the platform for managing annual leave), setting up and documenting new processes, and working with Excel and data. As part of my apprenticeship, I practised setting up new processes and procedures, which included taking time to think about how best to do it, and what the long-term impact will be.
What do you enjoy about your role?
I enjoy everything about it! I have a comprehensive commercially creative and business background, so to combine this with my commitment and passion for working in the NHS makes it a great fit. I enjoy line management, and my apprenticeship course incorporated the Edward Jenner programme which looks at management and leadership, so I am looking forward to using some of my new skills to create a positive impact and develop my team.
What sorts of things do you do for the off the job learning aspect of your apprenticeship?
We had interactive monthly learning sessions online, where we would complete excel worksheets during the session. We also had regular insight sessions where people from industry presented to us finishing with Q&As. From this we had to do a practical skills assignment for each module to cement our new learning in our workplace, a case study portfolio assignment, again related to our work, and a series of tests on one of Cambridge Sparks learning platforms. We also used Slack to collaborate and share work and feedback with fellow students.
Does this involve attending college or is it all completed at work?
Our sessions were carried out at home one day a week, and we undertook our learning on a live interactive virtual platform.
What are your future intentions?
I’d like to focus on settling into my new job, and using all of my new skills to help improve quality and efficiency. I’d also like to develop my skills using Life Qi for project quality and improvement work; this is a global quality improvement platform where tools, people and data come together to improve healthcare and patient safety that we are using in Addenbrooke’s; I used this to complete one of my more recent apprenticeship assignments in place of Power BI that I also learnt to use.
What advice would you give to others who may be looking to take on an apprenticeship?
I’d say to go for it. You will find it extremely rewarding, and it will have a really positive impact on your job, and help you to improve quality. It will be hard work juggling your full-time job, the apprenticeship, and outside commitments, but it will be well worth it and it’s great for your continuing professional development.
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 in your role?
- Taking on Challenges
- Communicating and building relationships
- Self- awareness skills and non-judgemental listening
- Self-Directed and engaged Learning
- Decision-making and creative thinking