Apprenticeships celebrated in Morecambe Bay

People of Morecambe Bay will be able to find out more about the types of apprenticeships and vocational qualifications that University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) has to offer during National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), which runs from Monday 5 – Friday 9 March 2018.

Every day next week between 12pm – 2pm, there will be information stalls at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary’s Skylight Restaurant, the Westmorland Bite Restaurant at Westmorland General Hospital and the Lonsdale Grill at Furness General Hospital. Trust apprentices and members of the vocational services team will be on hand to answer any questions and offer advice.

The Trust announced the launch of two ground-breaking apprenticeship schemes back in January and was delighted to welcome 27 apprentices on a Nursing Degree and six apprentices on a Healthcare Science Associates programme.

The schemes, both of which are among the first of the kind in the UK, are being run in partnership with University of Cumbria and Kendal College.

Kimberley Griffiths, a Microbiology Lab Assistant at Furness General Hospital, started studying on the Healthcare Science Associate Apprenticeship in January, and said: “It’s brilliant. Older students and mature students have families and other commitments, but this apprenticeship allows us to better ourselves, prepare for our future, without it affecting our family.”

The Trust currently has 79 apprentices, and this year, it is offering a range of vocational qualifications and apprenticeships in the following roles:

• Registered Nurse Degree
• Clinical healthcare support workers
• Healthcare Science Associates
• Business admin
• Catering assistant
• Estates and maintenance assistant.

Jenson Moon, 17, of Lancaster, who is a business administration apprentice at the Trust, said: “Undertaking a business apprenticeship at UHMBT has given me the opportunities and experience to thrive as a person and as an employee. In addition to the professional qualifications I have gained, I have become a happier, healthier and more confident young person.

“I have met people from a range of backgrounds and cultures, and they all share the same desire to create a friendly, caring environment for staff and patients. I am so glad that I can be a part of this amazing community and I cannot wait to continue to flourish within the Trust.”

Alongside the information stalls, there will also be special celebration events inviting people to come and share quotes about the importance of the apprentices in their organisations, which will be used to create a ‘Grow our Own’ display. Tea and cake will be provided.

They will be held at:

• Westmorland Bite Restaurant at Westmorland General Hospital on Thursday 8 March from 12pm-2pm
• Lonsdale Grill at Furness General Hospital on Wednesday 7 March from 12pm-2pm
• Royal Lancaster Infirmary’s Skylight Restaurant on Friday 9 March from 12pm – 2pm.

Other activities include a ‘Day in the Life of’ where we will follow one of our apprentices around for the day documenting them carrying out their role, and communications teams from Bay Health and Care Partners will be highlighting some of the apprentice roles in their organisations.

Ruth Keeler, Bay Health and Care Partners Business Partner, said: “We have some fantastic events going on throughout the week and we would encourage everyone to come along and find out more. We will be attending local colleges to support some apprenticeship specific evenings and we are creating an apprenticeship booklet with information from all of our partners.

“In a few weeks, we are hoping to hold 10kTalks with local schools and bring along a range of apprentices to share their learning and begin to create more of those relationships.”

Amanda O’Brien, Vocational Services Manager at UHMBT who leads on all apprenticeships across the organisation, said: “We support NAW each year and each year the celebrations continue to grow. This year is particularly exciting as we have and continue to expand Apprenticeship provision across the organisation. We are really proud to announce we have, in the last couple of weeks recruited to and commenced one of the first nurse degree apprenticeships and commenced the first Healthcare Science Apprenticeship in partnership with University of Cumbria and Kendal College.”

David Wilkinson, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, UHMBT, said: “Apprenticeships are a valuable way for a member of staff to learn valuable skills in a workplace environment. For an employer, it helps by developing a motivated, skilled and qualified workforce. Employees benefit by learning new skills while being paid a wage, and helping them gain qualifications.”

This year marks the 11th National Apprenticeship Week which will see employers and apprentices from England come together to celebrate the success of apprenticeships whilst encouraging even more people to choose apprenticeships as a pathway to a great career.

The theme for the #NAW2018 is ‘Apprenticeships Work’. Showcasing how apprenticeships work:

• For individuals
• For employers
• For the community
• For the wider economy

Last year the Trust was named as the eighth most inclusive employer in the UK, in the Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers list.

To apply for an apprenticeship you must be over 16 and not in full time education. You can find out more about career opportunities across the bay at betterwithyou.co.uk

If anyone has any questions about the week, they can contact Vocational Services on Vocational.Training@mbht.nhs.uk or Kailey Holmes on kailey.holmes@mbht.nhs.uk.