11 March 2019

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) has spent the week celebrating its apprentices at this year’s National Apprentice Week, bringing them together to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.

Aileen Pueblo

Speaking about National Apprentice Week, which this year is themed ‘Blaze a Trail’, Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, Anne Milton, said: “Blazing a trail is what being an apprentice is all about, and that’s what’s happening up and down the country – apprentices and employers blazing a trail.

“I want everyone to recognise the change that apprenticeships can bring – for employers blazing a trail to new markets, apprentices to new career opportunities and for colleges and training providers raising the skills levels for everyone.”

NHS apprenticeships are a fantastic opportunity for motivated, ambitious and responsible individuals of any age. Furthermore, they are available not only via the National Apprenticeship Scheme, but are also promoted to existing staff who wish to further their career via Apprenticeship Training, thanks to the funding available via Apprenticeship Levy. 

Aileen Pueblo is in her second year of a Level 4 Foundation Degree funded via the Apprenticeship Levy training budget and has been at SaTH for nearly 6 years. She started as a Healthcare Assistant and has since trained to become an Assistant Theatre Practitioner in Perioperative Care (the care that is given before and after surgery).

Attending University once a week, with the rest of her time spent training on the job in Theatres. Aileen said: “I am really happy to have this opportunity via the Apprenticeship training budget, it has allowed me to progress in my career, and hopefully I will become a fully qualified Theatre Practitioner.”

Victoria Rankin, Workforce Director said: “We are absolutely committed to supporting local people through apprenticeship qualifications as we recognise the huge value that they bring to organisations such as ours.”

“A clear element of our People Strategy is to home grow our workforce of the future; Apprenticeships support us to do this. With over 300 different job roles in the NHS the opportunities to progress in the future are many and varied.”

For more information about apprenticeships at SaTH please visit https://www.jobs.sath.nhs.uk/find-job/apprenticeships