One of the brilliant things about our apprenticeships is that they give incredible people the skills, the confidence, and the opportunities (and, often, the qualifications) to achieve things in their career that may not otherwise have been possible. 

Estelle Le Galliot is a Chartered Manager Health and Social Care degree apprentice, the Macmillan Health and Wellbeing Coordinator at St George’s Hospital in London, the recipient of a BBC Make a Difference Award, and a single mum of a teenage son.

Her apprenticeship has not only supported her progression at work but has also given her better insight into the Hospital’s operational strategy, improved patient care, and has seen her invited to 10 Downing Street to talk about cancer support in the UK.

We spoke to Estelle about her experiences on the Degree Apprenticeship so far.

A MANAGER WHO SAW POTENTIAL

After self-funding a four-year night course in counselling, juggling it with work and looking after my son, I was exhausted and burned out. My manager, the lead CNS for Personalised Care recognised this but saw something in me and introduced me to apprenticeships. This was totally different from the studying I had been doing. There would be dedicated time off the job for my university work, and the studying I was doing would feed directly into my job.

I was hitting a ceiling in terms of career progression and it was clear that I was going to need a degree. The Chartered Manager Health and Social Care Degree Apprenticeship ticked boxes I never thought I was going to be able to tick and I thought, you know what, it’s a fantastic opportunity, let’s do it.

Having an understanding and supportive manager has been important, and has made a big difference.

BLENDED WORK AND STUDY

When I did the night study, that was really off my own back, it took up my weekends and nights and was all done outside of work. With the apprenticeship it’s different, you’re given allocated time off work to study, the projects link to work, and management are part of the process.

When I first started studying for my counselling qualification again after so long, I definitely had ‘imposter syndrome’. I hadn’t written an essay in 20 years, and English isn’t my first language. I worked really hard and before I knew it, I was back in that mode and I’d caught the studying bug. A year after completing that, I was enrolled in the Degree Apprenticeship!

BBC MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARD

I received a BBC Make a Difference Award for work I did for cancer patients during COVID, including creating comfort kits, starting a YouTube channel, mindfulness, and laughter yoga. Receiving the award built my confidence and showed me the importance of being creative and thinking outside the box. We should have our patients and their loved ones in the middle of what we do, and the award reinforced this person-centred approach – which is something that’s reflected throughout the Degree Apprenticeship as well.

AN INVITATION TO DOWNING STREET

More recently, Akshata Murthy, wife of PM Rishi Sunak, organised a breast cancer awareness breakfast and invited the main cancer charities and London-based NHS professionals to Downing Street. I was asked to attend on behalf of St George’s and Macmillan. The idea was to raise awareness of the importance of screening.

It was a fantastic networking opportunity, and an honour to be in the room with healthcare professionals, Mrs Murthy, and Susannah Cleverly (Foreign Minister James Cleverly’s wife) who has survived cancer herself. It was a powerful platform and I hope we can continue to encourage women to attend their screening appointments, as it really will save lives.

WORKPLACE IMPACT

The Degree Apprenticeship has filled knowledge gaps in a way that’s enabled me to work confidently alongside more senior staff. Recently, my manager went on maternity leave and I was trusted to take on some of her work. I think this shows that not only have I grown in confidence, but that the organisation has confidence in me as well. I’ve found people seek my support and that feels like a badge of honour as well.

PATIENT CARE

I have become a bit more thorough in my processes. One of the main pieces of work that I did through 2022, was to produce a preparation video for patients before they start systemic anti-cancer treatment. We’ve produced the video, we’ve done the pilot, and now I’m working on putting it into the public domain. I’ve also been working on a proposal to get funding to have the video subtitled in the top languages that we have in South West London, and in British Sign Language. I know there is a need, but I need to prove that need exists and prove this is a cost-effective project given how much we currently spend on translators, etc.

These are things I wouldn’t have thought of, or known how to action, before undertaking my degree apprenticeship. So, my patient care has been improved by my better understanding of the overall picture, and the policies and strategy behind it.

PROGRESSION OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKING PARENTS

I’m a single mum and having the opportunity to do the apprenticeship is amazing. When you’re a parent, retraining is really hard because you can’t really afford to take time off work or pay tuition fees. A degree apprenticeship gives you an opportunity to do something for yourself, not just as a parent, but as an individual. It’s something I never thought I could access. It’s made me see that nothing’s written in stone, you can always change career, or change course, at any age.

PROMOTING APPRENTICESHIPS

I would definitely encourage anyone to go for an apprenticeship. Often I hear of the challenges of colleagues who have the experience but don’t have the diploma. Or have the diploma but not the experience. With a degree apprenticeship you get the best of both, and it’s so valuable in terms of your career, and for your employers. Apprenticeships remove that ceiling that’s there for people who can’t access further education and opens opportunities for a more diverse workforce.