Apprentice Energy Assistant Review

Aid in achieving NHS Net 0 targets on a Trust level, mainly working within Estates and Facilities. This may involve data collection, contractor meetings, waste audits, public sector networking, mandatory NHS reporting, engaging with comms to promote sustainability projects within Estates as well as engaging with the projects themselves (e.g. installing PV on our buildings, etc.)

I had no prior experience in this job role or apprenticeship course so I have learnt a lot about sustainability and energy management, particularly around clinical waste streams and procedures.

I enjoyed learning the module content, although it has been challenging to implement those learnt skills in the workplace. However, the EPA has been rushed and stressful to complete. The course has dragged on longer than it should, both taking away the enjoyment from the course itself, however, the module content was varied and the assessments challenging enough to keep me stimulated in the learning phase of my course

Not well organised or structured. It was hard to know what to expect at the beginning of my course and that has carried through all the way to EPA. Some elements of my EPA has come as a surprise to me as there has been breakdown in communication between my end point assessors, training provider, employer and myself.

I receive a lot of moral support. My new line-manager and mentor throughout my apprenticeship has been particularly supportive in sharing their knowledge of the Trust with me and troubleshooting training provider misunderstandings. However, this course and job role is new to the Trust so navigating that has been difficult. I haven't had much structure in the workplace to reflect what I have been learning in my course, which doesn't leave much room for growth for both the organisation and myself. Work goals, targets and projected outcomes which reflect those of my course would have been helpful

My work always get marked and feedback given. Moral support is most definitely there but to a fault. The most consistent feedback I got was "you'll be fine" which has been unhelpful when I have genuinely not known what I was meant to be doing. I have always felt 10 steps behind the curb throughout this course, but my proactive nature has been misunderstood as me doing "fine". Next to no correct information regarding the EPA too, which has been a stressful experience

It has helped a lot with bringing context to my job role and has challenged how I view and should use my job role as the module content was varied (as mentioned in previous questions). However, the EPA is very energy specific, more so than the content. So my qualification over the 2 years has helped me in my job role but it wasn't so strong in preparing me for my EPA

As far as I am aware no sports teams, however, there are weekly online fitness classes and a choir you can get involved in too. The Trust hosts various award ceremonies, including the annual Apprentice Awards. Team Away Days are encouraged as well as asking to go job role related conventions and public sector meetings

No

The NHS is a complicated organisation, it's not for everyone. If you want to invest your whole self into a job role and see it as a long-term investment, or if your goal is to simply give back to the community, then this organisation is perfect for you! However, if you want to see rapid change and a career progression to go with it, then you may often find it frustrating at times. NHS jobs are a vocation with flexible hours and a great work-life balance (perhaps less so for clinical staff...), so I would recommend depending on what a friend would want out of life. For my age bracket, I can imagine that those pros listed are less important at this stage in life, hence why I wouldn't recommend it

Bearing in mind that Clinical job roles looks considerably different to non-clinical roles and I am speaking on behalf of the latter: Know what you want in life - what are your goals, standards and desires for the future and communicate that across from the very beginning. Stick by your goals and use them as motivation whilst holding your line-manager(s) accountable to them if they are in agreement. Bring organisation to your job role as no one is going to go out of their way to bring it about for you. Tailor make your job role to best suit you in the context and greater good of the Trust. Push for change, be the necessary change to bring about efficiency in your sphere of influence and be patient. You can't be easily disheartened in this organisation.