Apprentices shine at celebration event
An abundance of staff talent was on show recently as we held our annual Apprenticeship Celebration event on Friday 22 March 2024.
Around 30 colleagues who’d been studying for various qualifications using our apprenticeship offers were recognised for their achievements. We also celebrated those living the Trust’s values in our special Apprenticeship Awards.
Trust Chief Executive Dr Sara Munro was on hand to hand out the certificates and congratulate all colleagues who’d “earned and learned” their way to success.
It was a double win for support workers from our Specialised Supported Living Service (SSLS).
Doshina Francois (above right) won the Caring Award. Previously working in hospitality, she was sponsored to work in a care role by the Prince’s Trust before taking on her apprenticeship with SSLS. She said: “I’m so grateful to be nominated – this was a great opportunity. No day is the same where I work now. We support people with complex needs and severe learning disabilities.”
Jake Rice (above left) won the award for Simplicity. Now a support worker in the Calverley Bungalow since gaining his apprenticeship, Jake said: “This is the first thing I’ve really invested myself in during my working life. I’d only ever done odd jobs before, doing around six years in retail and call centre work. They never really fulfilled me. I now get to the end of a shift feeling so much more motivated.”
Other winners include Executive Assistant Sam Nicholson who won the award for Integrity . . .
and Perinatal team leader Cassia Edwards who won the Line Manager award.
Hergy’s senior leadership journey
Hergy Galsinh, our Head of Network Services and Cybersecurity, achieved an Apprenticeship for Senior Leadership at level seven (Masters) with the Chartered Management Institute through the apprenticeship scheme.
We grabbed a few minutes with Hergy at the celebration event. He said: “I feel privileged and quite lucky to be honest. Working full time and getting the opportunity to do a three-year course like this with the costs covered was too good to miss.
“It was a lot of hard work. Many hours spent on evenings and weekends. But it’s paid off. Getting some time away from work to do something totally different outside of my comfort zone was also really beneficial.
“I was fully supported by my line manager. He sat me down and made me think about the fact I’d be working full time and studying part time. But he gave me the flexibility to juggle both things.
“Going into this commitment with your eyes open is so important. I had a good conversation with my wife and kids so we all knew what to expect. Whilst this was a big investment of my time, it also saved me financially as I was sponsored to take it on. So I didn’t have to pay anything towards it.
“Now I’m looking to apply my skills, knowledge and experience but through a leadership perspective, which is so different.”
Above: Hergy receiving his certificate from Dr Sara Munro.
Any staff interested in the “earn while you learn” opportunities that apprenticeships offer can find out more on Staffnet 365.