It’s National Apprenticeship Week and as ever, we’re celebrating our amazing apprentice workforce here at CHFT. 

And to launch the week here's apprentice Jenny Clifford, aged 56, who is currently working as a Trainee Nursing Associate in Theatres at CRH. 

Jenny said: "By doing this apprenticeship, it has made career progression possible for me. Undertaking an apprenticeship has meant I can continue in my paid employment at CHFT whilst also being a student. I get the best of both worlds.

"People always ask me why would you do it (I can tell they want to say, “at your age!”), but I say: why wouldn’t I do it? It’s free education and it’s wonderful, I feel like my brain has opened up."

Apprenticeship facts at CHFT

• We have more than 340 apprentices working across both CRH and HRI
• 53.4% of our apprentices are under 30 years old
• 81.9% of our apprentices identify as female and 18.1% as male
• 14.3% are from the Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities and 7.6% have a disability
• Those studying higher level apprenticeships (L5+) make up 53% compared to the national average of 42%. CHFT is the highest in the region
• Medical division employ 33.9% of apprentices, Families and Specialist Services 19.7%, Surgical 17.7%, Community 12.7%, Corporate 6.6%, CHS 5.7%, THIS 2.5% and Pharmacy Manufacturing Unit 1.2%

Head of Apprenticeships and Widening Participation, Liam Whitehead, said: “I am proud that we can offer our local community their first steps into clinical careers at CHFT. Apprentices at CHFT bring a unique blend of enthusiasm, practical skills and a fresh perspective. They enrich our workplace with diversity and help to contribute to creating a more resilient and skilled workforce.

“There are opportunities for everyone at CHFT, whether that be a new colleague joining CHFT for the first time or as an existing colleague seeking career development."

Below you can see a few more of our fabulous apprentices. Senior Clinical Educator for AHPs, Arley Byrne, said: "All of our AHP Apprentices are an absolute ray of sunshine. Their commitment, passion for learning and diverse talent shine through in all working areas.

"They're an absolute privilege to host at CHFT and I can't wait to see them continue to grow through the organisation. Here's to you, not just this week, but every week!"

If you have an apprentice you’d like to give a shout-out to, email communications@cht.nhs.uk letting us know what makes them brilliant and include a photo.

All our apprenticeships are funded via our apprenticeship levy which covers the cost of training and end point assessment only. If you are interested in undertaking an apprenticeship at CHFT, please speak to your line manager to discuss the commitment that is required. You can also find out more information here How to access Apprenticeship Levy Funding at CHFT - 1 (pagetiger.com