Meet Our Apprentices

Sebastian

Level 3 Apprenticeship in Electrical Installation

“I find that an apprenticeship allows you to learn on the job and gain experience which betters your employability chances after you complete the apprenticeship and, you get paid whilst doing it! For me moving to a Level 3 apprenticeship in Electrical Installation was a natural progression from my previous Level 2 course.

My apprenticeship has been going very well, the work is varied and provides me with good learning opportunities.

My typical work day starts at 7.30am, I receive a daily brief to discuss what needs doing for the day which is a mix of working with the team and individually. Although no two days are the same, at times some jobs require similar work over a few days and at other times I get to test my skills on a variety of jobs. A highlight for me is getting to meet new people and working in different and interesting places from hospitals to luxury hotels.

Once I complete my apprenticeship, I’m hoping to explore new opportunities, maybe even starting a company of my own.

To anyone considering an apprenticeship, I’d say go for it! It opens more doors and gives you true working experience.”

Dianne

Health Play Specialist Apprentice

“I chose to the apprenticeship route to fund my Foundation Degree in Health Play Specialism. The apprenticeship runs alongside the Foundation Degree which is ideal. It has been a huge benefit for me personally and to the NHS Trust I’m employed with.

I have successfully completed the apprenticeship and felt it went well. I have many highlights, from getting accepted onto the course, completing the degree and portfolios, to the experience of working alongside my mentor. A particular highlight was the experience of the End Point Assessment Day, as it allowed me to consolidate my learning and made me realise how much I had grown in confidence throughout the apprenticeship. I especially welcomed the support from one of the course assessors who was very knowledgeable.

My placement was brilliant and my mentor was really good at encouraging me to develop. I loved being able to try things and explore different skills safely knowing that I was being supervised and supported constructively. I made lots of contacts and got a good understanding of the difference in all the Health Play Specialist roles in community, hospice and hospital settings where the same skills are being used for very different purposes and in very different ways.

I’m currently working full time as a Health Play Specialist with the community nurses. I’ve applied for a Band 5 role within the team and if successful, we will be recruiting further play staff and I hope to be able to mentor them through the Degree, potentially as an apprentice.”

Amber

Plumbing apprentice

“I never planned to be a plumber, but I was working in the office for Smith and Byford and I was really interested in what the engineers did. I looked at studying part-time, but I knew I needed the practical experience too, so doing an apprenticeship made perfect sense. The course can be hard at times, but the teaching is great and my employer is really supportive. I work with a great engineer, and he encourages me to do as much as I can on our jobs and that builds my confidence as well as my skills. The facilities at Nescot are amazing, and all the teachers are really experienced. They set high standards for our work, but that’s good preparation for work. I really enjoy being a female plumber. You still get a few people who think it’s a man’s job, but I’ve never been made to feel like that at college or at work. I want to work in domestic gas at first, and then specialise in commercial in the longer-term. Plumbing is a great trade because it’s versatile, and although it’s hard work it’s really rewarding.”

Aaron

Level 5 Apprenticeship in Operations Management

“I’ve only been doing my apprenticeship for a few months, but I can already see a lot of changes to my work and my behaviour. I’ve got a lot more self-confidence and self-belief, and I'm more motivated. The course is helping me to understand the business context around me, and through that knowledge I’ve already been able to start making positive changes for my team and the organisation as a whole. It’s giving me the belief in myself that I can effect change, and that’s powerful.

“The structure of the course is well thought-out, and the teaching is great. We do one lesson and one assignment per month, and we get a set of resources to work through. The tutor is great at explaining things, and she always encourages us to relate what we’re learning back to what we’re doing at work and to put it into practice straight away. It’s rewarding to be able to learn a theory, apply it, and see genuine results for my team.

“I hope my experience shows people how versatile apprenticeships are. They’re great for people at the start of a new career, but apprenticeships are just as useful for people who are already in a career and want to progress to the next level. There’s a huge range of subjects and levels, so there’s something for everyone. To anyone thinking about doing an apprenticeship, I’d say: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Archie

Electrical apprenticeship

“I like studying Electrical because it’s a good mix of skills. You have to use your brain a lot, but it’s also a really practical job. At the moment we’re working on designing the electrics for a hotel, which is complicated. We have to plan out all the lighting and cabling and where the circuits start and end, but we also have to think about making adjustments for the swimming pool area, because of the water, and whether there’s enough electrical capacity in the kitchen for the number of hotel guests. I’m doing an apprenticeship, which I’m enjoying because I like the balance of studying and being on-site. I’d recommend Nescot to anyone, it’s a great place to learn a trade.”

Polly 

Business Administration Apprentice - Level 3 

Polly works at Brunswick Surgery, Surbiton, in a varied role. She is employed as a Receptionist-Administrator and has also become a qualified Phlebotomist, running her own Clinics at the Surgery. She is now training to become a Healthcare Assistant, having successfully completed her apprenticeship.

“I have a drive for self-development and was keen to work for the NHS,” she explains, “Nescot helped me find the perfect workplace for my apprenticeship.”

“The learning aspect of the role means you are constantly involved in the wider health sector. Alongside the business admin and stakeholder management aspects I was able to develop my own health sector interests and be given more and more responsibility by my employer.”

Polly plans to continue growing her broad experience in General Practice, before specialising later in her career. “At the moment, I am doing interesting and valuable work in both the patient management and clinical aspects of my role. I thank my tutor at Nescot for encouraging me to go beyond my comfort zones – in our regular progress update sessions she would give me areas to improve on and encourage a flexible, open-minded approach to the work and my learning.”

Leana Burrage, Practice manager, says the surgery has also benefitted from having a versatile apprentice like Polly on board. “Choosing an apprentice has been a huge benefit for our surgery. I would certainly do it again.”

Jess Renwick

Health Play Specialist Apprentice

“After a successful year on the Foundation Degree at Nescot, I had the opportunity to gain employment in my local children's hospital, who are now supporting my training through the apprentice Health Play Specialist route. The Apprenticeship runs alongside the Foundation Degree so I can stay in the same class. It has all worked out – now I have time for a job I really enjoy, time to study, and time to have a life.

There are so many things I love about this role. We were dealing with an autistic girl who needed to come into the hospital for a procedure– fear had prevented her from doing so before, but by developing a trusting relationship beforehand, I managed to get her in, and the outcome was successful.”

The flexibility of learning is what is great about this apprenticeship. I get paid and know I’ve got a career at the end of it.

Next year I plan to continue my studies by doing the BA Top-Up Professional Practice Working with Children and Young People, also through Nescot. It’s exciting to be on a real career path in a job you love.”