My apprenticeship has played a big part in me pursing my present studies in occupational therapy

For National Apprenticeship Week (7 to 13 February 2022), were celebrating all that is great about apprenticeships and shining a light on our inspiring apprentices in Nottinghamshire Healthcare. 

An apprenticeship combines on the job practical work experience, whilst studying, allowing you to gain experience and achieve a recognised qualification and earning an income.

Bashar Heesambee (Bash), Sports Instructor, at The Wells Road Centre in Nottingham, takes a look back on his apprenticeship journey.

Bashar Heesambee, Sports Instructor

“I started the Health and Social Care Level 5 (Assistant Practitioner) apprenticeship in February 2018 and graduated from Derby University in March 2020.” explains Bash.

 “Personally, for someone who enjoys learning, the apprenticeship was a no brainer to look into as it gave me the opportunity to continue studying whilst being at work and it suited my financial situation and family life. I have always enjoyed studying to improve my skills and improve practices in the fields of occupational therapy, sports and mental health.

 “Having worked in health and social care for more than 10 years, completing the course gave me the opportunity to gain a university qualification which did not only improve my career prospects in taking on further responsibilities and progressing to more senior roles but also enabled me to continue my studies to become a qualified occupational therapist in the future.

 “For the past few years, I have been thinking about becoming a clinician and working as an occupational therapist. Completing the Health and Social Care Level 5 apprenticeship played a big part in me pursuing my present studies at Sheffield Hallam University in occupational therapy.

"The skills, knowledge and behaviours learnt on the course made me a better healthcare professional”

 “The pandemic was challenging as it delayed part of the completion of the apprenticeship levy known as the End Point Assessment (EPA) which was mandatory in my case as an Assistant Practitioner due to being redeployed on a ward. I finally completed the EPA nearly a year later in January 2021. The skills, knowledge and behaviours learnt on the course made me a better healthcare professional and prepared me for the COVID-19 challenges at work and personal life.

 “An apprenticeship route is for people who have already gained healthcare experiences whilst following their continuous professional development. I personally think it is the best way of studying as you spent most of your time putting your learnings into practice in your field of work. However, it can be challenging if you are not well organised as it can have an impact on meeting deadlines for assignments, work related tasks and social life. I would certainly advise anyone considering doing an apprenticeship to plan well ahead for the duration of the course.

Apprenticeships are available from Level 2 to Level 7 across most job roles, all of which can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website.