To mark National Apprenticeship Week at DHU, we want to take a look at how our programme has progressed since last year.
As a way of learning on the job straight from school or in a new trade, or an apprenticeship that helps a current colleague learn or develop a new skill, DHU has embraced apprenticeships and values the role they play.
DHU has seven apprentices with 18 employees in total currently undertaking an apprenticeship. Such has been the success in the past with many apprentices securing permanent positions, largely in corporate areas, we are in the planning stages of formalising an apprenticeship procedure for the wider organisation and looking to be able to offer apprenticeships for different roles in the near future.
“A good way for people to learn…”
April Francis is DHU’s Organisational Development Specialist for Corporate Services, she told us: “Year on year we have been expanding our apprentice and apprenticeship programmes and if successful, always look to retain them in a permanent position. It’s such a good way for people to learn about what it’s like to have a profession, be in a work environment and we have a commitment to making it work and ‘growing our own’, learning from them as much as they learn from us.
“There are several opportunities available or coming up including recruitment for an Information Governance apprentice and we now offer an Assistant Practitioner role on the clinical side. It is a mutually beneficial role as our apprentices learn about us as an organisation and gain invaluable experience at the same time as earning a wage. As an organisation we benefit from emerging talent and a fresh approach.
“A commitment from us…”
“We recruit directly via our website alongside links with local, partner organisations such as the University of Derby, Babingtons and EMA Training in Derby as well as Learning Unlimited. If an apprenticeship is successful, then we do what we can to try and find a suitable role for them as it is a commitment from us to develop their skills. It’s pleasing that so many want to stay which suggests it’s working both ways.
“The apprenticeship side is part of our commitment to developing our own people through learning and, as with apprentices, this can only benefit our organisation by increasing the level of expertise and keeping our experienced colleagues. It’s a financial commitment from our side as well so we work closely with Finance and Payroll, and we’re always open to hearing ideas from those who have an apprenticeship they’d like to explore.”
We will be sharing a couple of stories from an apprentice who joined us very recently and Kristena who joined us permanently from an apprenticeship in the New Year.
You can read about Annis Sculthorpe, an apprentice based at Thurmaston GP Practice by clicking here.