University students, jobseekers and school children have joined roadshows, events and talks as our enthusiastic teams went all out to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (5-11 February).
The awareness week theme was ‘Skills for Life’ and reflected how apprenticeships can help people of all ages to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career and help organisations like The QEH develop a talented workforce equipped with skills for the future.
Colleagues collaborated from the Trust’s Apprenticeship team and Talent and Organisational Development team to host a series of events in the hospital and out in the community, and were even joined by MP for North West Norfolk, James Wild, who praised the Trust’s efforts and ‘fantastic collaborative relationship with King’s Lynn’s Job Centre Plus’.
The QEH team also visited local schools and colleges including, University Academy Holbeach, King’s Lynn’s Springwood High School and King Edward VII Academy, and King’s Lynn’s College of West Anglia.
In addition, they represented the Trust at a packed apprenticeship event at King’s Lynn’s Job Centre Plus which attracted more than 150 people.
Special guest Hannah Dimery, Business Development Manager at the Department for Education also joined The QEH team to celebrate and raise awareness about the diverse and wide variety of apprenticeship opportunities available at the hospital and rest of the NHS.
Ending the week on a high, two apprentice colleagues from The QEH were named winners in the East Anglia region’s Blue Sky Assessing & Consultancy 2024 Awards.
Eleanor Ess, Unison Apprentice, was awarded The Advocate Award for her work with inclusivity of hard of hearing staff, helping them to feel included and giving them the tools to succeed.
George Manning, Senior EPR Business Intelligence Analyst, was awarded The Innovator Award for designing an entire new Business Intelligence Dashboard for the Emergency Department – a useful tool to monitor performance and help to improve patient flow – which is now fully operational.
Shelly Slegg, Apprenticeship Lead at The QEH, said: I am so proud of both Eleanor and George, they are both exemplary examples of what an apprenticeship can do for you as an individual, and the Trust itself. They are leading the way for others success and I look forward to seeing what they do in the future.”
The QEH currently has 170 employees on apprenticeship programmes across a range of apprenticeships including business administration, customer service, project management and leadership, as well as coaching and mentoring, nursing and advanced clinical practitioners.
Apprenticeship qualifications are available to support the development of both new and existing staff members and the Trust embraces this route to help people progress in their chosen career.
John Syson, Director of People at The QEH, said: “We have a great apprenticeship scheme at the Trust, not only available to school leavers but colleagues too. It’s a fantastic opportunity to develop skills whilst earning. They make up a hugely important part of our workforce as they allow us to grow talent and develop skilled and qualified teams.”
To find out more about apprenticeships at The QEH, visit our website here.
Ends.
Notes to editors;
For media enquires only, please contact Communications Team, media.enquiries@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613216.
For all other enquiries, please contact QEH Switchboard on 01553 613613.
To download the press release and photos, click here.
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