Next Step Apprenticeships - DCC's first Occupational Therapy Apprentices!
Next Step Apprenticeships - DCC's first Occupational Therapy Apprentices!
On the 7th September our first ever Occupational Therapy Apprentices embarked on their 4-year apprenticeship journey with the University of West of England. We would like to introduce our three new OT apprentices to you:
Danielle Rowe - Community Enabler, Reaching for Independence Team, East.
"I have been working as a Community Enabler for the past 18 months. I enjoy working with individuals from all walks of life, supporting them to develop skills which work towards enabling them to live a more independent and fulfilling life. When my manager first told me about a possible opportunity for an OT apprenticeship, my first thought was 'this is it, this is the opportunity I have been waiting for". In the months previous, I'd had many discussions in supervisions and appraisal meetings with my line manager about what my next steps could be and how I could progress in my career. I had considered a few options, but nothing had stood out to me".
Rachael Hardisty - Social Care Assessor, Care Direct Plus Eastern Occupational Therapy Team.
"I have worked as an SCA in the OT team for 6 years. I love how OT is about enabling someone to live life as independently as possible and being a part of that person's journey to independence. I have wanted to progress my career and become an Occupational Therapist for some time now but couldn't see myself being able to leave my job that I love, to study when I had a young family that also needed looking after. Now I don't have to!"
Nicci Carrington - Social Care Assessor, CDP Southern Occupational Therapy Team.
"I have been with the Care Direct Plus Team in South for 5 years now starting in the Brokerage team, moving into the SCA role, and most recently joining the OT Team; where I have been for the past two years. I have really enjoyed exploring the world of OT as it has enabled me to develop my face to face assessment skills and get out into the community meeting people. I remember my supervisor mentioning the possibility of a degree apprenticeship and thinking that it would be such a good opportunity to train and develop my skills with the support of my existing team and DCC."
The course is a mixture of face to face and virtual / remote learning 2 days a week, alongside remaining working 3 days a week in our current roles. Our second, third and fourth year will require us to go on placement. This could be within adult, children's social care, health, community, acute or mental health settings. Our teams and managers have been so incredibly supportive along the way and are all really encouraging and excited for our journey to become OT's. This is such a great opportunity that Devon have invested in and we are so proud to be a part of it and to become Devon County Council's first 'homegrown' OT's!
Comments
Post a Comment