“It’s a win-win!” – Ellen’s story, National Apprenticeships Week 2020

Ellen Calder completed her apprenticeship in Business Administration with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. She now has a full-time job at the Trust, and is enthusiastic about the benefits of apprenticeships…

I started as a Business Admin apprentice in the Trust’s Finance Department in April 2018.

After completing my diploma in Business Administration, I applied for a job as a Finance Officer in October 2019. I was thrilled when I found out I’d got it! Recently, I have been given the opportunity to work a 6 month secondment as a Financial Accounting and Salary Sacrifice Co-ordinator. I’ve also enrolled onto the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification. In the future, I can see myself completing this and hopefully progressing to a higher level within the team.

For me, one of the best things about working for CNTW’s Finance team is our flexible working hours. This is quite helpful for a lot of us, as we can fit work around our lifestyles.

I would definitely recommend doing an apprenticeship! I feel that apprenticeships are not always valued as much as they should be. In my opinion, apprenticeships are actually really beneficial because you get to gain experience in a real working environment and strengthen your skills, all while earning money. It’s a win-win!