Apprenticeships

Clare Jeckells is a Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Supervisor and Duty Worker within NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Talking Therapies.

I supervise a Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP) Apprentice, and this has meant being involved with the apprenticeship process and witnessing first-hand the benefits this course gives and the support available for the Apprentices to achieve their qualification in a profession that can be difficult to be accepted into through a traditional post graduate route.

What benefits has the apprenticeship brought to your organisation?

The degree apprenticeship has been of huge benefit to our organisation. We have Apprentice PWPs from varying employment and academic back grounds. Some bring with them lots of experience from facilitating groups/courses in previous roles. This adds a richness to the PWP workforce in terms of their diverse backgrounds, knowledge and previous experience.

As an organisation, we have learned a lot and reflected on the journey for all trainees within the service and how we can support them alongside their university work so they continue to feel supported within the team while having the time to learn and develop the knowledge and skills they will need to be a PWP.  The PWP role can feel challenging at times. Therefore, the opportunity to build resilience in a supportive environment is key to retention of staff within organisations. The DA route really does support this due to the pace of the learning.

Talking Therapies service need to adapt and move forward by making sure we have therapists within our workforce who can create an environment that optimises a client’s ability to engage, and who support people towards recovery from common mental health disorders using the evidence-based interventions they are trained to deliver. The PWP apprenticeship Standard (course content) maps perfectly with the services, building relevant experience and knowledge. We have found it is the best route to qualification.

How supportive has the University of Exeter been? How have our staff helped you through the process?

The support from the University has been outstanding and the regular reviews that take place with the Apprentice, Workplace Mentors and the university Academic Mentors are a really valuable opportunity to reflect on progress to date, consider any areas that may be more challenging and offer support and guidance.

We have increased our Senior PWP/Supervisor provision within our service. This has enabled us to have the time and opportunity to support the Apprentice PWP’s through their training and beyond.  I have also noticed that due to the varying levels of previous experience before coming into the role and the support available from within service and also University, motivation is high and there has also been an increase in a real interest to develop skills more broadly.

Would you recommend the University of Exeter to other students thinking of taking part in Degree Apprenticeships?

Exeter have been incredibly supportive, any queries or questions we may have had when first starting out were addressed promptly. The drive and enthusiasm for the degree apprenticeship has been motivating for all. The apprentice I have supervised found the openness and honesty of the tutor’s own reflections from their training so normalising and helpful at times when they may have started to feel a little overwhelmed. The knowledge base and attitudes of the tutor’s and the wider team has enabled us all to expand our understanding of the degree apprenticeship route into the PWP profession and is something I have certainly supported from the very start.

Tell us about your role within the NHS and about your involvement in degree apprenticeships at the University of Exeter.

I am currently the IAPT Step 2 Lead and Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist for Newham Talking Therapies. I manage the Step 2 pathway for the service, overseeing a team of Team managers, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Qualified Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Trainee Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners, Apprentice Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners and placement students for the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Degree.

I have worked closely with Exeter University over the past year, where we have had two cohorts of apprentices join the service, one of which completed their training in spring this year and are now qualified members of the team. Not only are they an integral part of our team now, but they have also gone on to develop their skills and are running groups and have Champion Area’s within the service.

A Degree Apprenticeship can benefit more than just the apprentice, providing opportunities for others to step up. Have you seen any positive developments in your team as well as in yourself?

The degree apprenticeship has been one of our most successful pathways in recruiting and training practitioners. Not only is it a very thorough and well put together programme, but it also recruits some of the best candidates. The programme supports learners who have no previous degree level qualifications, bringing in people from a range of backgrounds. The wealth of experience they bring with them often facilitates them to pass the course without too many challenges and go on to thrive in their roles. The apprentices typically have worked professionally prior to the apprentice role, therefore are always professional, conduct themselves in a very positive way and are conscientious in their practice.

We have seen a number of the team develop and progress due to the degree apprenticeship. Two of our recently qualified PWP’s, who completed the programme in spring are an integral part of the team and demonstrates their passion for clinical practice daily. One of the is now the Perinatal Champion for the step two team, overseeing the perinatal pathway for the team, running groups and networking with partners to continue to develop this avenue. Team managers and seniors have also had the opportunity to supervise, and line manage apprentices, allowing them the opportunity develop further also.

How supportive has Exeter been? How have our staff helped you through the process?

The University of Exeter has been exceptional in all areas. Reflections from the apprentice PWPs have been that the Exeter team is incredibly supportive, approachable and empowering. Our apprentices feel able to reach out and ask for help when needed. On the occasions they have not passed an assignment, their mentors have been encouraging and provided feedback where required.

From a stakeholder perspective the University of Exeter has been one of the best universities I have worked with in regard to the degree apprenticeship. They are always on hand for any queries, and we have had a few repeat queries over the last year, they have always been super forthcoming and helpful, explaining the process and providing relevant guidance. They are an exceptionally organised and passionate team who we will always look forward to working with, because of their dedication to their students and this programme.