Our Long Term Conditions (LTC) HOS-AR and Pulmonary Rehab Team Leader, Kerry, has shared her experiences of her Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship and how she is utilising the skills she is learning in her role at Baywater Healthcare.
Tell us about your apprenticeship
I am undertaking the Improvement Practitioner Level 4 apprenticeship (Lean Six Sigma Green Belt). Improvement Practitioners use a blend of Lean and Six Sigma, as well as project and change management principles and tools, to identify and lead the delivery of change across organisational functions and processes.
What made you want to undertake this course?
I have always been keen on looking at ways to improve our current processes and make our services more efficient, but I have never had the proper knowledge or tools to do this. Hence, this Apprenticeship is perfect for me as it gives me the confidence and the knowledge to enable me to start my own improvement project, by speaking to the right people within our business who can help bring these changes in.
What aspects of your course have you been able to implement into your role at Baywater Healthcare?
Although I am only halfway through my Apprenticeship, I have a lot of ideas as the Team Leader for our HOS-AR and Pulmonary Rehab services and ways to improve our service to make us more efficient due to our growth within the last year. Some of these ideas are currently a work in progress by collaborating with our brilliant IT team, but seeing some of them come to life now is really exciting.
How do you balance your Apprenticeship with your busy day-to-day job?
I must spend 6 hours a week focusing on my Apprenticeship as I have deadlines for tasks to be completed and submitted, so it is easy to fall behind if you do not dedicate the time to the coursework. As agreed with my line manager, I have one day each week to take time away from my day job to focus on my Apprenticeship. I am also sitting functional skills in maths level 2, so I have a maths lesson each week with my tutor.
What advice would you give to people looking to undertake an apprenticeship?
You need to be prepared to work hard and make the time to focus on your coursework, but what you will get out of it once you have completed your Apprenticeship will make the months of stress and hard work worth it. I feel very lucky and grateful to have been given this opportunity, and I am excited to use my knowledge and skills once I have qualified.
