Jason Scott - Chartered Manager Degree Apprentice

Current employer: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Current job title: Agile Development Manager and IT Security Coordinator

Course: BSc (Hons) Professional Management (Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship)

"I had become an ‘accidental manager’ and the apprenticeship is giving me the tools to formalise my work using best practice and theory."

Tell us about your current role.

I am the Agile Development Manager and IT Security Coordinator for University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust. I manage a small team who develop business and clinical applications for improved efficiency and digital transformation, working with staff from all levels of the organisation. As IT Security Coordinator I need to liaise with staff from across our department and interpret policy and guidance from NHS England and NHS Digital.

What motivated you to do an apprenticeship?

I’ve worked in IT and the NHS for 18 years and during that time I’ve obtained many technical certifications. As my career progressed into management I felt uneasy that I had no formal management and leadership training and no qualifications to back it up. The apprenticeship was a great opportunity to learn new skills which were better suited to my career pathway and, combined with the partnership with the CMI, professional recognition at the same time.

How has the apprenticeship benefited you so far? How have you applied learned theory to your role?

I had become an ‘accidental manager’ and the apprenticeship is giving me the tools to formalise my work using best practice and theory. With a focus on work-based practice, I am constantly evaluating our day-to-day activities and can suggest and implement improvements.

What advice would you give to others considering embarking on an apprenticeship?

I would highly recommend it. There are lots of opportunities to blend learning with daily work and this, in some ways, lessens the overhead one might usually attribute to a degree.