Apprenticeships: Creating Futures & Friendships

It’s National Apprenticeship Week 2022. A chance to celebrate apprentices and the wide reaching benefits that apprenticeship programmes offer to individuals and their employers.

We wanted to share the story of two very talented dental professionals – Charley and Natasha – who have unlocked their career potential through apprenticeship programmes, not just once, but twice.

Having completed the Dental Nurse Level 3 and the Assessor Coach Level 4,  they’ve not only developed impressive sector knowledge, skills and behaviours (both have been awarded the prestigious title of Dental Nurse of the Year) but are now using their passion for apprenticeships to train the next generation of dental nurses.

What makes this positive story even brighter, is the friendship they’ve developed  – meeting first on their Dental Nurse apprenticeship, working together as colleagues, completing their Assessor Coach apprenticeship and now working together at Exalt Training with our dental nurse cohorts.

 Natasha,  Dental Nurse Skills Coach, at Exalt Training said:  “With apprenticeships, you not only gain the knowledge and skill within your apprenticeship, but you can also gain great friends. I started my first apprenticeship 8 years ago in dental nursing, where I met my colleague and friend Charley. Charley and I grew close supporting one another on the knowledge and skills and supporting one another through the end point assessment and both qualified within 6 months of one another. We followed each other and joined an agency together, where again we supported each other, and our knowledge and skills progressed further.

“And now we are both on an apprenticeship to achieve our level 4 Assessor Coach, to gain and develop our knowledge and skills and to help support, coach and mentor our apprentices. I think apprenticeships are a great way to kick start a career and to really get a feel for the job role you are in and is a pathway to further education.”

Charley, Dental Nurse Skills Coach, Exalt Training, said: “I completed an apprenticeship to train and develop as a dental nurse, which gave me the knowledge and skills to qualify and become registered with the General Dental Council. Since then, I have completed another apprentice to become an Assessor Coach, where I now support trainee dental nurses to grow and develop – which is a lovely full circle moment for me.

“Natasha and I were fortunate to have met during our dental nursing apprenticeship and trained together for 2 years. We both took the leap into agency nursing and both loved it. It meant we could continue to learn and develop together for 5 years, working on the same team. Together we have both taken the step to expand our careers, enrolling in the Assessor Coach apprenticeship together. Now we are both teaching and developing the next generation of dental nurses together! We know first-hand what it is like to complete an apprenticeship and can fully support our apprentices from our personal experiences.”

“I’ve been an apprentice twice now, so I know how amazing apprenticeships can be! Being able to learn whilst working in that environment is the best way to create well rounded professionals in the workplace. The underpinning knowledge learnt during the teaching sessions, is so valuable in the workplace to allow for a full understanding of the working practices.”

Apprenticeships support individuals at every stage of their career. So whether you’re looking to start a career in a chosen profession or looking to expand your options, there is an apprenticeship for you. Get in touch to find out more rachel.thompson@exalt-training.com