Introducing to you Andrea Williams, Outpatients Matron at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
- How did you find out about this apprenticeship standard?
- Aware of Training Nursing Associate role – wanted to introduce into the department
- Sought further advice from the Apprenticeship Team
- Fits in with our departmental delivery model of care
2. Did you understand the apprenticeship route?
- Had a basic understanding of what the apprenticeship route looked like
- Breadth of information available on the Intranet – a lot of
detailed information to take in, however it is broken down into
information for staff and information for Managers, as well as
resource links - Regular meetings with Apprenticeship Team helped to clarify
understanding of the process
3. What challenges have you faced?
- Initially, some issues when enrolling onto the university’s platform due to the Trust’s IT security systems and further delays with the platform
- Understanding of terminology and requirements e.g. Apprenticeship Commitment Standard, costing requirements, Individual Learning Plan (ILP), Apprenticeship Delivery Model
4. What difference do you believe the apprentice’s new knowledge, skills and behaviours will make to your team/department?
Apprentices are only in their first year, however the structure of the programme has allowed us as a team to direct their learning and gain skills at a faster pace, that can be utilised throughout their training and in their post as a Nursing Associate, when they complete the course.
5. What advice would you give to other managers who maybe considering taking on an apprentice?
Start process early; find out from key contacts exactly what
is required
- Involvement of Practice Educator to tailor departmental training needs and support programme
- Set allocated time aside to support the process
- Identify mentors at the start and involve them in programme, as well as the Apprentice’s expectation setting
- Try and link in with other departments that have had someone go through the apprenticeship process