The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH)
is celebrating the achievements and contributions of its apprentices as part of National Apprentice Week (9-15 February).
Throughout the week, the Trust will highlight the wide range of apprenticeship routes available across SaTH and the NHS, demonstrating how these programmes open doors for people at all stages of life and career.
This year’s theme, ‘Skills for Life’, focuses on how apprenticeships help individuals gain valuable knowledge and experience while strengthening the future workforce.
SaTH currently supports over 240 people either on active apprenticeship programmes or existing staff who are completing a qualification alongside their current jobs.
Opportunities span a wide variety of professions, including accounting and finance, legal, and associate project management.
Sarah Thomas, Senior Education Business Partner and Apprenticeship Lead said: “Apprenticeships are a vital part of how we support people to build skills for life and develop meaningful careers within the NHS. They give individuals the chance to learn, earn and progress, whatever stage of life they are at. At SaTH, we’re proud to support apprentices across a wide range of roles and to see how this route helps grow a skilled, confident workforce for the future.”
Emily Hill career started as a Health Care Assistant progressing from a Student Nursing Associate to Registered Nurse by completing the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship.
Emily said: “I started work as a Health Care Assistant just before the pandemic and worked on the COVID ward at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. During this time, I got to see my nursing colleagues’ incredible skill, knowledge, and dedication, which just inspired me on my nursing journey even more, I wanted to be able to do more for my patients and when the opportunity to start a Nursing Associate apprenticeship came up, I applied.
“Professionally, the apprenticeship style of learning whilst working has been invaluable, nothing can replace real world experiences, it also helps that you learn about local policies and procedures etc as a student before you need to know them to put them into practice.”
Tessa Obasuyi followed the same career path as Emily. She said:
“The apprenticeship route enabled me to follow my dreams to be a nurse, as due to being a single parent – being a full-time student wasn’t feasible. The Practice Education Facilitators at the hospital have been amazing. This apprenticeship has also taught me that anything is possible, which is the message I keep telling my children.”
Apprenticeships give students the opportunity to put their learned skills into practice, as recent nursing graduate Karen Bailey said: I wasn’t completing an apprenticeship, I was becoming a nurse!”
Rhia Boyode, Group Chief People Officer said: “I love this year’s theme, “Skills for Life” campaign. It’s a perfect reminder that, whether you’re a young person, an adult, or working within a team, we should always strive to reach our full potential by engaging in educational opportunities, just as Emily and Tessa have.”
At SaTH, apprenticeships provide an opportunity to support local people of any age to begin and progress on their journey in the NHS, providing them with a career option they might otherwise not have had or have even considered.
Apprenticeship qualifications are available to support the development of both new and existing staff members and the Trust embraces this route to help people progress in their chosen career.
For further information about apprenticeships at SaTH please visit www.jobs.sath.nhs.uk/find-job/apprenticeships. You can also set up an alert for when vacancies are advertised throughout the year.
Keep an eye on SaTH’s social media accounts this week too (LinkedIn -The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Facebook – @ShrewsburyandTelfordNHS, Insta – @sathnhs) to see some of those who have taken up apprenticeship opportunities with the Trust.