Employer case study: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
A long-standing partnership built on trust, reliability and realism
Over the last three years, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has placed over 170 apprentices with Access Training. Michelle Place, Apprenticeships and Widening Participation Lead at NUH, explains the reasons why this long-standing partnership works so well.
“NUH uses a range of Training Providers, to varying effect, and has done since the Apprenticeship Levy began in 2017. Our relationship with Access Training extends further back than that, to around 13 years of partnership. This partnership has lasted due to the supportive nature of Access’s way of working.
An approach tailored to what we need
Access Training delivers a number of apprenticeships for us: Business Administrator, Adult Care (levels 2-4), Customer Service Practitioner, Healthcare (levels 3-4), and Team Leading/Management (level 3). From the beginning, they allocated a member of staff to work with the NHS, to understand our needs, and support us to achieve what we needed to; namely taking on Apprentices who would succeed, remain in the organisation and become valuable colleagues. This approach is beneficial in a number of ways.
A member of staff who works in one sector and who develops expertise in that area, can support what we want to achieve, see where something different might work, and anticipate any issues that may arise. Access Training provide real support and adapt to what we require, admirably. We value this way of working and, whilst it may seem usual practice, our experience with other training providers, tells us it is not.
A trusted partner
If an issue arises, or a new area wants to recruit an Apprentice, then Access Training are there to provide a great service, to the extent we wish that to happen. The trust is there in abundance, though, and we allow Access to do more for us than some other providers, because we know they are reliable, honest, and will not over promise. They tell us what they can achieve, nothing more, and then deliver. This just doesn’t happen once, but has happened many times in our partnership.
We all make mistakes from time to time (myself included) but Access Training see theirs as learning opportunities. This attitude is something else of value in our relationship. Learning, adapting, and ensuring a different way of working is employed in future, is something I have come to rely on with them.
Apprentice retention
When our Apprentices begin a programme with Access Training, I know that they will be well looked after – from on-boarding to completion. Their assessors are supportive and guiding, and are realists to the challenges Apprentices face. They offer great pastoral support, and will work tirelessly with an Apprentice to ensure they make it through any rough patch.
This attitude sees us retain the majority of our Apprentices, who then go on to become permanent members of staff.
I will continue to use Access Training in the future for Apprenticeships.”
“NUH uses a range of Training Providers, to varying effect, and has done since the Apprenticeship Levy began in 2017. Our relationship with Access Training extends further back than that, to around 13 years of partnership. This partnership has lasted due to the supportive nature of Access’s way of working.
An approach tailored to what we need
Access Training delivers a number of apprenticeships for us: Business Administrator, Adult Care (levels 2-4), Customer Service Practitioner, Healthcare (levels 3-4), and Team Leading/Management (level 3). From the beginning, they allocated a member of staff to work with the NHS, to understand our needs, and support us to achieve what we needed to; namely taking on Apprentices who would succeed, remain in the organisation and become valuable colleagues. This approach is beneficial in a number of ways.
A member of staff who works in one sector and who develops expertise in that area, can support what we want to achieve, see where something different might work, and anticipate any issues that may arise. Access Training provide real support and adapt to what we require, admirably. We value this way of working and, whilst it may seem usual practice, our experience with other training providers, tells us it is not.
A trusted partner
If an issue arises, or a new area wants to recruit an Apprentice, then Access Training are there to provide a great service, to the extent we wish that to happen. The trust is there in abundance, though, and we allow Access to do more for us than some other providers, because we know they are reliable, honest, and will not over promise. They tell us what they can achieve, nothing more, and then deliver. This just doesn’t happen once, but has happened many times in our partnership.
We all make mistakes from time to time (myself included) but Access Training see theirs as learning opportunities. This attitude is something else of value in our relationship. Learning, adapting, and ensuring a different way of working is employed in future, is something I have come to rely on with them.
Apprentice retention
When our Apprentices begin a programme with Access Training, I know that they will be well looked after – from on-boarding to completion. Their assessors are supportive and guiding, and are realists to the challenges Apprentices face. They offer great pastoral support, and will work tirelessly with an Apprentice to ensure they make it through any rough patch.
This attitude sees us retain the majority of our Apprentices, who then go on to become permanent members of staff.
I will continue to use Access Training in the future for Apprenticeships.”
"The trust is there in abundance, though, and we allow Access to do more for us than some other providers, because we know they are reliable, honest, and will not over promise."
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