Two colleagues from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, have become one of the first in the Trust to complete their Occupational Therapist (OT) apprenticeship earlier this month.
Carly Burder and Rosie Cameron both work within Secure Inpatient Services (SIS) at Roseberry Park in Middlesbrough and were successful in applying for the apprenticeship after working as Occupational Therapy Assistants.
Both had an early interest in pursuing a career in healthcare, with Rosie studying Health and Social Care at college, and Carly previously working as a learning disability and mental health support worker in the community.
Rosie, from North Yorkshire said, “I loved the idea of supporting people to be the best version of themselves and increasing their independence. I was particularly interested in working in SIS to support people to have a second chance in the community and help them on their rehabilitation journey.”
At the time, there was no OT apprenticeship available, so both applied for Occupational Therapy Assistant roles to gain experience and knowledge. They shared their career aspirations with their manager, and within a few months an apprenticeship opportunity became available, which they both seized.
Carly, from Teesside said, “After nine months in my role as an assistant, I told my manager that I wanted to go to university to pursue a career in OT. A few weeks later, I was asked to apply for the apprenticeship.”
Both Rosie and Carly have now successfully completed their apprenticeship and will gradually transition into newly qualified Band 5 roles, while also completing their preceptorship within SIS.
Rosie said, “Initially, I felt nervous about the whole process as it hadn’t been done before and I was unsure about the job role responsibilities. However, throughout the apprenticeship we received great support from our managers, the team, and the university. I hope that others see us completing the apprenticeship and feel inspired to apply, as it shows there are alternative routes into professional careers.”
Both Rosie and Carly are due to graduate in July this year; and have also recently received their registration and are now in their Band 5 OT position.
They shared this advice for others considering the route:
“Make use of your team’s diverse OT experience to build your knowledge. Take every opportunity to shadow and be involved in the full OT process both in the workplace and on placement. It may feel overwhelming at times, but you can do it!”
