"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.