Hospitals recognised for leading apprenticeship work

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been recognised in two leading award schemes for its work in providing apprenticeships.

 

 

 

 

 

The Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2011 meet to collect their awards. 

The Trust has been named as one of the country’s top 100 apprenticeship employers by the National Apprenticeship Service and City & Guilds – the vocational education organisation – for its excellence in creating opportunities for apprentices.

The organisation’s efforts have enabled apprentices to acquire transferable vocational skills to help them to find work and to improve their numeracy and literacy skills.

In addition, the Trust’s Learning and Development Department was highly commended in the Regional Final of the National Apprenticeships Awards 2011, in the Macro Employer category.

These awards recognise the achievements of the Trust’s Healthcare Academy – a partnership between the organisation and Sheffield College, for its efforts in providing apprenticeships and in delivering high quality training for support staff roles.

The Academy focuses on providing training across a range of vocational areas including Health, Pharmacy, Business Administration, Estates and Child Care, and is currently extending the Apprenticeship scheme to include pilot projects in Laboratory Science and Catering.

The apprenticeships, usually lasting between 12 and 24 months, are primarily aimed at staff who are new to the Trust, but they have also been offered to existing healthcare assistants over the past two years. In recent years the Trust has been taking on around 100 apprentices per year.

Cliff Smith, Healthcare Academy Lead, said: “We are delighted to have been commended in these two award schemes.

“This is a real encouragement for patients and staff alike, all of whom recognise the importance of apprenticeships in providing high quality patient care through well trained, skilled staff.

“We are committed to providing opportunities for our staff to develop their skills and experience in ways that are most appropriate for them.

“We are grateful to our partners at Sheffield College for all the hard work they have put into the Academy, and these successes are testament to the positive efforts we have made as a partnership in creating a quality and fit-for-purpose apprenticeship scheme.”

Simon Waugh, Chief Executive of the National Apprenticeship Service, said: “The Apprenticeship Awards recognise the achievements of individuals engaged in training and the organisations that invest in them. Apprentices provide a real boost to Britain’s economy, helping businesses secure a supply of people with the skills and qualities often not available on the external job market. They bring fresh ideas and innovation to organisations and help to increase staff retention.”

Ends

Notes to editors

The 2011 Apprenticeship Awards celebrate the achievements of apprentices and employers from all over England. Nomination categories are:

- Young Apprentice of the Year (school year 11 only)

- Apprentice of the Year

- Advanced Apprentice of the Year

- Higher Apprentice of the Year

- Small Employer of the Year (1 - 24 employees)

- Medium Employer of the Year (25 - 249 employees)

- Large Employer of the Year (250 - 4,999 employees)

- Macro Employer of the Year (5,000 + employees)

 

 


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