14th February 2025
What you did prior to the apprenticeship scheme at the TU and when you started at the TU
Before I joined the TU, I had graduated from The University of Leeds with a degree in English Literature and Language. Alongside my degree, I did multiple discovery modules in politics and economics with a large focus on the public sector and this is what inspired me to strive towards a career in the public sector. I started this journey in a council run theatre in Leeds called Leeds Heritage Theatres. I had a HR and Support Services role where I provided people support and contributed to multiple employee related projects around staff training and hiring for a new theatre location. This position helped me to understand the running of a public company including funding and governance aspects which really interested me.
From my experience in this position, I knew I wanted to be in a role that had people at the focus allowing me to make valuable change, so I started to research NHS graduate schemes and apprenticeships when I found the Apprentice Associate Consultant Scheme at the TU. The TU’s aims and objectives really resonated with me, and it felt like the perfect place to really start my professional career.
What attracted you to choose the TU apprenticeship scheme over another career/education path
As I already completed my university degree, I thought that an apprenticeship wouldn’t be applicable to me as I thought it was always a path you had thought you had to choose at a young age. But this wasn’t the case, I found that the TU apprenticeship was open to all ages and backgrounds. The consultancy and patient focused element of the TU’s work really interested me as I wanted a career where I could use my analytical skills as well as my people skills to contribute to transforming health and care outcomes for people and communities. The on-the-job learning paired with the apprenticeship theory provided by BPP is perfectly suited to me as a practical learner and I just knew that I’d be able to start my ideal career guided by the TU and BPP.
Training and development:
What does your apprenticeship entail? What have you enjoyed the most?
My Apprenticeship entails workshops and webinars hosted by BPP monthly where we gather as a cohort with our tutor to learn about the theory behind project management and project management in practice. Once we complete our webinars, workshops and our pre/post meeting activities we start to work towards our module submissions which will eventually form our final project management portfolio. Some of these modules include project management fundamentals, project synergy and leading projects. I am able to implement my learning from my role into conversations with peers and tutors and into my submissions using real experiences.
One of my most enjoyable experiences so far on my apprenticeship has been the collaboration and team working skills I have been able to build on in the workshop breakout rooms. We often have case studies and work as a team to come up with a project plan to tackle an issue or a large-scale project. This allows me to learn from my peers from across the UK and incorporate other people’s thoughts and ideas into my own to use in the workplace.
What internal TU training have you had? What have you enjoyed the most?
I have had lots of internal TU training sessions since I started my apprenticeship. My first two weeks were full of sessions such as presentation skills, project management methodologies, project management skills in practice and clinical redesign. These training sessions helped me to understand the importance of project management tools and how they relate to my role and specifically to clinical redesign which is one of the TU’s core offers.
As someone who has previously struggled with verbal presentation skills due to lack of experience, the presentation skills session was a great opportunity for me to practice with my more senior colleagues and my other apprenticeship peers. We touched on aspects of a good presentation such as speaking clearly, breathwork, preparation and overall confidence building. This session was really enjoyable, and it empowered me to put myself forward for more presentation opportunities to build on this skill.
How has your apprenticeship/training supported project working?
My apprenticeship has enabled me to be more confident in my ability to contribute to successful project initiatives with my team. Although it is normal to start from a fresh slate at a new job in a new field, I felt as though the theory from my apprenticeship studies really allowed me to grasp my role much more quickly. I often find things to share from my apprenticeship with my work colleagues. For example, many of my apprenticeship colleagues use different technological tools in their operational roles such as Draw.io and Asana which are both project management systems/tools. I have learnt how technology can enhance process and make projects more collaborative, especially when working with clients and colleagues who may not be able to commit to face to face meetings. It makes me happy and empowered to know that I can bring new things to the workplace and that my colleagues are open to learn and incorporate new things into our own work!
How do you balance work, personal life and learning?
At the TU, I am encouraged to make sure I have a work/life/apprenticeship balance which is a really refreshing aspect of my role. I have a 6-weekly meeting with my TU home line manager and my BPP academic tutor. In this meeting we discuss ways in which can define ‘apprenticeship days’ and ‘work days’ and if I have any concerns about the balance, I can voice them and ask for advice on ways of working. Fortunately, this has not been a problem for me at the TU. I am able to block a whole day out in my calendar/MS Teams for my apprenticeship as advised by BPP, allowing me to focus solely on my workshop/webinar preparation reflective statement submissions. The apprenticeship sessions are also incredibly flexible to work around and do not take up excessive amounts of my time.
Regarding my personal life, I am supported to take time back through flexible working when my working hours are stretched due to busy periods in projects. I also enjoy going into the office twice a week and for our monthly whole team meetings where I can catch-up and learn from my colleagues. I also have full annual leave allowance meaning that I am not restricted in those moments of the year when I feel like I need to refuel and relax!
Reflections:
What are you most proud of achieving during your apprenticeship so far?
I feel like I have achieved so much in the past 4/5 months! I am especially happy about leading my first stakeholder interview with a senior clinical expert for one of our clinical pathway mapping projects in collaboration with NHS England. This was a real personal milestone for me and required lots of planning and support from my senior colleagues. The session went so well, and I received great feedback from members of the project team which gave me the confidence to volunteer and pitch for these kinds of opportunities more often. The opportunity also helped to build my self-confidence as I felt I could push myself and deliver in a high trust environment.
Can you share an example of a rewarding or challenging project/task you have worked on?
One of the early pieces of work I supported was to produce a report in collaboration with Browne Jacobson LLP to shed light on collaborative care through group working. This required lots of thematic analysis from round table events and lots of writing and formatting to get our point across perfectly. We had a fixed deadline which meant we had to follow a strict project plan to deliver the work on time. In the end, we completed the report and shared it NHS wide, and with our team and the contributors to the round table events. This was a great learning experience for me, we held a lessons learnt presentation slot in our bi-monthly whole team day where we shared our challenges and celebrated our successes.
What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship?
I would advise people considering an apprenticeship to understand the work/study element of an apprenticeship specifically. It’s important to stay motivated in balancing the two elements of an apprenticeship, so being certain in where your interests are in your professional journey is really important.
Apprenticeships are great for people who enjoy both the practical and theory side of working. In my role at the TU, I feel empowered to share my learning from my apprenticeship and use my theory in practice to deliver in real projects. It is a privilege to work alongside experts and learn from them. An apprenticeship allows you to learn and earn at the same time and I do think that is a great aspect that I have enjoyed in comparison to university which is 100% study. I feel I have been able to build on my personal and professional development and I am looking forward to growing even more. So, if this is something that appeals to anybody debating an apprenticeship, I would definitely encourage them to look into their options and consider the benefits of work/study opportunities.
Where do you see yourself after completing your apprenticeship? Or what are you looking forward to throughout the rest of your apprenticeship programme?
I hope that I will continue to develop and take on more responsibility at the TU. I am so happy with my progression in such a short time that I am truly excited to see what great projects I can be further involved in! Working in an uplifting, unique, and challenging yet positive atmosphere is so rewarding. I continue to feel more empowered and more confident in my contributions in the workplace daily and I cannot wait to see how I continue to grow throughout what is hopefully a long career at the TU.