SCR Apprenticeship Awards 2021 – North Notts College Makes the Finals
North Notts College is proud to announce that College alumni Glenda Walker has been announced as a finalist for the Sheffield City Region’s Apprenticeship Awards 2021.
Glenda, who studied Health and Social Care at North Notts College, is currently working as a Senior Healthcare Assistant at Rotherham Hospital and is working towards her End Point Assessment.
Tutor Wendy Flynn was Glenda’s go-to for some support during her studies, she said: “Glenda was always a good listener, took feedback on board and gradually her confidence grew. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020 Glenda’s study time had to be suspended as she was needed back in her workplace. The College was closed to students and face to face classes were moved online, allowing Glenda to continue her studies remotely.
“Glenda works busy 12-hour night shifts, and despite not having any protected study time, she stayed in contact with me. In addition to working through the pandemic, she continued to work hard on her apprenticeship. Completing her written work to a high standard as she developed her academic writing style.”
Discussing her time at College, during the pandemic and her apprenticeship, Glenda said:
“I started the job I do now as a Clinical Support Worker with the Hospital at Night team on secondment from a ward in Rotherham Hospital. Although I had most of the necessary skills to do the job, I had not completed my Level 3 in Healthcare. When I got a full-time post after my secondment, it was a requirement for me to go back to college to do the course and get my diploma.
“Being the age I am, I was quite nervous going back into education, but after a couple of lessons with Wendy, our tutor, I started to really enjoy it and look forward to my study days.
“When the pandemic happened and we couldn’t go to College, I did worry that I wouldn’t get the work done without the support that Wendy gave us each week and the impetus from each other to keep going, but I worried needlessly as Wendy was there for us every week on the phone and at other times outside our study days, she has been amazing! No matter what time of day or night, we could contact her and she would happily respond, always being supportive and ensuring that we did everything we could to have good assignments submitted.
There were some weeks that were really hard, working with so many COVID-19 patients that were really suffering and having then at the end of the shift, feeling like we hadn’t done enough for them, even though we did everything possible. It was actually a relief to sit and do some studying to take my mind off the job for a while, although some days it was hard to concentrate because of being so tired. The pandemic affected everyone in different ways but I do think as a healthcare worker and working on the frontline we will be affected by it for quite a long time.”