Apprentice Occupational Therapist Review

As an apprentice Occupational Therapist I support my qualified colleagues in completing their duties. This may include seeing people on their caseloads and offering blocks of therapy input, assisting them during assessments and helping with admin tasks. I will write notes, attend team training days and offer to be an extra pair of hands wherever necessary.

I have learned a huge amount; it would be hard for me to name everything, especially as the different skills ranges across a wide spectrum and I you are constantly learning every day. However, where I feel I have developed most so far is in my negotiation skills, sense of self as a working professional who is also studying and being regularly reflective on my practice.

I enjoy researching and feeling like I am always learning new things, but not so much the process of having to collate everything into an assignment/pieces of work that gets marked. Yet, you could say that is because of the person I am. What I have also enjoyed about this programme is getting to meet all the other apprentices at University and building friendships with like-minded people.

Not very well at all, however I would say this has far less to do with my employer and is mostly due to the poor organisation of the University. The only consistency I feel there has been is the clarification that during term time, as an apprentice you will attend university 1 day per week instead of your place of work and not be expected to complete any tasks in relation to you job on the day you are at university.

My employer/colleagues have been very supportive since I started my apprenticeship. As well as my supervisor, I also have a work mentor who I can book meetings with to discuss anything uni related. I get offered lots of opportunities from my employer that will help me progress as a learning professional.

Unfortunately, I have not felt well supported from my training provider. Apprentices are meant to have an academic personal tutor (APT), as well as a work-based mentor, and they are both supposed to have tripartite meetings - with the apprentice - often to discuss how everything is going, set goals, monitor progress and so forth. However, since I started in September 2021 I have had 3 different APTs, two of of which I never met, and I am now on my 4th person who I have never met nor had any communication with. What's more, I have only had 2 tripartite meetings when I should have had 7 by now. It also does not help that there is a high turn over of tutors so no consistency/effective communication between staff.

I have not completed my qualification yet, however from the training I have received so far, I feel the qualification will advance the care and support I offer the individua's I work with because I will have a better understanding of the theories/sciences underpinning the role of my profession.

There are some opportunities but not many. We can attend a yearly show that is specific to our profession once a year, however not everyone from the team can attend one show at once. For Christmas we try and organise a team meal or get together and throughout the year we will have at least 3 training days which everyone is encouraged to attend

No

I would only recommend this company to someone who is looking to start their career in the health and social care sector. Yet even then, it depends on what role they are wanting to pursue because they do offer opportunities to progress professionally, bit these are not always readily available and suitable for all.

Do your research and understand everything before making your final decision to apply. Ask questions if you are unsure of anything and be persistent if you do not get answers in a timely fashion. Be prepared to be pushed out of your comfort zone sometimes and don't be afraid to decline/say no to anything that you do not feel competent in. Be able to or be willing to learn how to manage/spend your time well so that you are not feeling too overwhelmed with your duties.