Colleague case studies
Read through our colleague's own experiences of apprenticeships within health and care in Northamptonshire organisations by clicking on the plus icons below.
For further information on apprenticeships available within NHFT please contact the apprenticeship team at: Apprenticeships@nhft.nhs.uk
Casey's story: Children and Adolescent Mental Health apprenticeship
Casey is 20 years old and is currently completing a Children and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMMS) apprenticeship at NHFT. For Casey, it is a role that she has always been interested in, and the opportunity arose when she began looking at NHFT’s website in search of the roles that they could offer her. It was the perfect way to fulfil her ambition. The total length of the apprenticeship is two years and Casey has just submitted her final piece of work last week and is now waiting for her end point assessment.
During her Apprenticeship, Casey had a study day off every two weeks with her tutor who is based at Newland House – all of the other Apprentices on the course meet there to continue their studies, it enables them to have access to their tutors and receive any help that is required.
Casey really enjoys the work environment, and in particular, when a patient arrives who is not feeling well, she loves working with them up to the point of them being discharged and seeing the fantastic improvement realising that she has made a massive difference to someone’s life.
The support Casey has received from the people around her is great, they have always shown interest in what she is trying to achieve, and commented she had ‘a brilliant mentor on her ward’. In addition, guidance was always on offer with nurses providing support and help whenever required.Casey’s believes that an apprenticeship course is best suited for someone who prefers more hands-on experience rather than class room-based work. As a result of her course, Casey was able to come across a range of healthcare experts. Furthermore, Casey felt that the apprenticeship course was of huge benefit and the assignments were easy to deal with due to the real-life experiences that she could relate to.
In addition, Casey has found that she finds it easier to communicate with other people as a result of the course, meaning that she feels less nervous and far more confident. This is mainly due to the fact that she is working alongside nurses who engage with patients and their families, consequently helping Casey to deal with any challenges that may arise.
Casey has been nominated for an award by her manager on the ward and her mentor! The nomination was a complete surprise to Casey and it made her really proud of her achievements. What does the future look like for Casey? She would like to study Occupational Therapy sometime in the future, once again by doing an apprenticeship.
Laura Keon: Apprentice to Business Support Lead
We would like to introduce to you Laura Keon, Business Support Manager, who discusses her journey from Apprentice to Business Support Lead.
How did you get your Apprenticeship?
Prior to starting my apprenticeship journey in 2012 I was working as a temporary member of staff in Banking. I had always wanted to build a career for myself, but had absolutely no idea where to start! I decided to search on the apprenticeship.gov.uk website for opportunities near me and spotted a Business & Administration apprenticeship open day at (what was Northamptonshire PCT – Now Nene Clinical Commissioning Group) and the rest was history!
I attended the open day with a number of other people and we undertook various group activities throughout the day, which concluded with a set of interviews. I was then (lucky enough!) to be presented with a few different options in terms of which area of the CCG I wanted to start my journey! After weighing up some different options, I decided to work within a Primary Care based Locality Team as I felt that there were lots of varying development opportunities within this area, which included project work, data analysis, and good exposure to a variety of forums and meetings.
What is the study model like and what type of things have you been doing in your off-the-job learning?
The NVQ study model included regular mentorship from an external apprenticeship body (‘Starting Off’), as well as on-the-job learning – applying my learning and tasks to each module, taking time for reflective practice and increasing my knowledge base.
Off-the-job learning for me included increasing my local and national NHS knowledge and awareness to ensure I was equipped with information, which I then learned to translate to on-the-job through my studying – Applying theory to practice!
What has been the hardest part?
One of the most challenging parts for me was taking a salary decrease (from my previous temporary role) to an apprenticeship wage – But boy was it worth it! Starting off as an apprentice really allowed me to build a solid foundation and take my time to learn and develop.
What has been the best part?
I’m so very proud of my journey from an apprentice to business support lead (Band 7) – Within my journey there have of course been lots of highs, and equally some lows. My ability to use the ‘lows’ to learn and grow from them have aided me – I see them as a positive!
What do you hope to do next?
Continue my learning through seeking to complete a Degree
What tips do you have for people who want to do the same Apprenticeship as you?
- Get involved in different projects and tasks – Don’t overwhelm yourself and take direction from your line manager
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and ask them again if you need to
- Increase your knowledge and awareness and take time to understand how ‘the system’ works
- Take every opportunity for learning, this could be through attending various meetings to learn how things all fit together
- Don’t stop learning/developing after your apprenticeship – Carry this through with you and continue to develop yourself and your skills. Grab those opportunities!
- Understand and observe people and their different communication styles, different skills and how collectively working together we can all bring something to get the best outcome!
Madeleine's apprenticeship journey
Read Madeleine's story about being an apprentice with East Midlands Ambulance Service and how this helped her to achieve the career she is in now!
Read Madeleine's story here
Natalie's story: Let's talk apprenticeships
For an educational background, Natalie attended university and gained an undergraduate degree in Psychology Wellbeing, as well as a Masters in Psychological Wellbeing. On leaving university she joined Northamptonshire County Council as a Wellbeing Advisor in August 2017. Following on, Natalie was promoted in March 2019 to the role of Wellbeing Coordinator and is now responsible for five people. 
The role of Wellbeing Coordinator at Northamptonshire County Council change, and Natalie was offered the opportunity to undertake an apprenticeship. The Apprentice programme was to become a Lead Adult Care Worker, it began in September 2018 and finished in December 2019.
Natalie states that the apprenticeship route is a fantastic way to achieve a hands-on approach to achieve a variety of skills with the additional benefit of getting 20% off for study. Natalie found that being an apprentice was a great option as you learn on the job whilst getting paid.
Having finished her Apprenticeship, Natalie has been offered to complete further training in managerial work and has started a new Apprenticeship to be an Operational Department Manager. This course is over two and a half years and when she is qualified, she will reach the role of a Chartered Manager.
Natalie was nominated for an award by her mentor who saw her transition from the role of advisor to her new role of manager and recognised how she had grown and developed into the role. Natalie’s mentor felt she supported her own apprentices extremely well and that Natalie promoted the apprenticeships route throughout her service. Natalie is extremely proud of the area that she works in and stated that she would recommend the scheme to anyone interested in the career path that she is now on.
Natalie believes when you go to University you learn the facts, but when you become an Apprentice you are hands-on every day, learning compassion and empathy, dealing with individuals that are vulnerable and need support – it is very a rewarding career choice.
Rebecca Woods: Business Administration Apprenticeship
We would like to introduce Rebecca Woods, Apprentices Business Administrator, Huxlow
House, SMH, who is completing the Business Administration Apprenticeship.
How did you get your Apprenticeship?
Before I applied for this apprenticeship, I was in college studying Business level 3 and although I was interested in apprenticeships, I wasn’t actively looking at any. A colleague of my mums found this apprenticeship while looking for one for her son and mentioned it to my mum. After reading it, I instantly applied for it. I’ve never been sure what I want to do career wise but reading about Business Administration sparked an interest for me. I was really excited about this apprenticeship but also nervous, keeping in the back of my head that I may not get this apprenticeship. After submitting my application, I was invited for an interview which went really well and I was offered the position! I never thought I would get this apprenticeship but I did and started a month after I had finished college and I’ve been learning so much and enjoying my job role ever since.
What is the study model like and what type of things have you been doing in your off-the-job learning?
The study model is really interesting and everything is easy to follow. I have been provided with so much support from my tutor who is always available to help me or answer any of my questions. I’ve learnt so much through completing my written assignments and attending workshops, which are always interesting to learn about and how that then links to my own job role. Although these workshops and one-to-one meetings with my tutor are all done online, I’ve still enjoyed every moment and received so much support along the way.
With off the job learning, I’ve been doing many things to broaden my knowledge such as attending events NHFT provided on the Staffroom, reading about the theme of the month which talks through key issues such as climate change, peer on peer abuse, mental health awareness and how to keep a healthy work life balance. Sometimes you don’t realise you’re doing off the job training because even attending a workshop or doing assignments counts towards it.
What has been the hardest part?
The hardest part for me was coming into a new job role during COVID-19. This is my first job and trying to learn remotely was difficult at times and it was bizarre meeting my whole team through MS Teams. I’ve never been in an office environment before so working remotely is all I’ve known. There have been pros to working remotely but it has also been really difficult at times. After speaking to my manager and the Director about how I’m struggling working at home and feeling quite isolated, I was lucky enough to be able to go into the office once a week with my manger, whilst following the COVID-19 guidelines. This was really helpful for me and allowed me to somewhat get used to working in an office environment and also have some in person interaction. Due to the COVID-19 rules changing again, this has now been put on hold for everyone’s safety, but I’m excited for when I can get back into the office.
What has been the best part?
There have been so many moments during my apprenticeship which have been great and one of them is getting to know my team, making connections with other people in the Trust and hearing about their experiences and opinions, which has been really interesting. I’ve also enjoyed learning more about the NHS, I was never aware of how many services they provide, but during my apprenticeship it has opened my eyes to many other job roles and possibilities. But overall, one of the best parts of my apprenticeship has been the responsibility and trust I’ve gained from my manager and Director. I would’ve never thought I’d be progressing so quickly and been given as many opportunities as I’ve have.
What do you hope to do next?
I am still at the beginning of my apprenticeship and still have so much more learning to do. I hope to expand my knowledge as well as my confidence and although I don’t have a clear idea of what I want to do after I complete my apprenticeship, I do hope to continue working within NHFT.
What tips do you have for people who want to do the same Apprenticeship as you?
If you are interested in doing an apprenticeship, my advice would be to go for it. There is plenty of support to help you along the way and always someone to answer your questions. Doing an apprenticeship will help you learn so much about your job role, whilst earning an income. It’ll teach you new skills as well as strengthen existing skills, and it also opens you up too many other opportunities.
Charley Threadgold: Lead Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship
How did you get your Apprenticeship?
I started off in school not knowing what I wanted to do career wise. I didn’t want to go to university as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study and didn’t want to make a mistake of choosing something random and felt like no course was right for me. So I decided to look for an apprenticeship to help me learn and earn at the same time, which sounded perfect for me! I always had a passion for looking after people, and found a Healthcare Assistant Apprenticeship on NHS Jobs, applied for it even though I have never had any experience in care. I got the job and have never looked back!
What is the study model like and what type of things have you been doing in your off-the-job learning?
Study model is very easy to follow, with paid study days in place and excellent assessors to help support you every step of the way. Simply completing the written work, which is coursework based. Taking this and applying it to your everyday work practice, so when it comes to the assessments and reflective accounts it is as easy as anything as you’re so used to doing it! As well as the off-the-job training sometimes you’re doing it without even realising. Asking for more training as you’re interested in can be classed as off-the-job training and you’re doing something that you enjoy!
What has been the hardest part?
One of the hardest things I had to experience during my apprenticeship was pausing it due to COVID-19. Having to pause my apprenticeship meant me having to put my learning on hold, which I found very frustrating when I enjoyed what I was learning about and being able to put it into practice at the same time.
What has been the best part?
Best part of my apprenticeship is being given the opportunity to study at a higher level and having the outcome of a Merit in the end.
What do you hope to do next?
I have now completed my Level 3 Diploma in Adult Care, and I am now moving on to the next step in my career and I have been given the opportunity to go forward and complete my Mental Health Nursing Training by starting the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship in February 2022, via the Open University.
What tips do you have for people who want to do the same Apprenticeship as you?
If I could give any advice to an individual who wants to start an apprenticeship but aren’t sure. My advice would be to go for it! It has been one of the best opportunities I’ve had and is now setting me up for my career and my future. If you feel lost and not too sure on what to do then why not try and have the same opportunity as others.
