Digital Learning in Action: Georgia Simes’ Level 5 Digital Apprenticeship

As part of National Apprenticeship Week, Rebecca Conroy, CEO & Principal of East Sussex College, visited East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust to shadow Georgia Simes, a Level 5 Digital Learning Designer apprentice at the Trust.

During the visit to Eastbourne District General Hospital, Rebecca spent time with Georgia to understand her role, talk through the skills she’s developing as a digital apprentice, and see first-hand how her training is making an impact across the NHS.

Georgia’s journey into digital learning didn’t start in a classroom or a tech role. She joined the NHS in 2021 in a very different position and gradually discovered where her interests really lay.

“I originally became interested in working in a digital role just to try something new,” she told the Rebecca. “I started off in a secretarial role, and that involved typing minutes for meetings. It was literally listening to doctors talk and typing it up which didn’t really challenge me.

“I then got into more of an educational role, doing staff inductions. When I met Lewis, who's my counterpart, and saw what he was doing with e-learnings and things like that, I thought, with my creative background, that was something I could do. And then when the opportunity came up, I wanted to give it a go.”

Choosing an apprenticeship felt like the right next step, allowing Georgia to build digital skills while continuing to work and gain real experience in the NHS.

“It’s all digital learning, but you still get classroom-based support and blended options, which really helps people who are busy,” said Georgia. “You might go to a webinar and then a classroom, do an e-learning module and then a classroom, or just do e-learning. It’s about having those options so people can fit learning around their work.”

Studying with East Sussex College has also changed how Georgia approaches learning design and training more broadly, encouraging her to think more critically about what works best for different learners.

“Studying with East Sussex College has supported my work with the NHS by giving me the opportunity to reflect on how we design and deliver training. It’s helped me think more critically about learning design and explore new ways of engaging different learners, particularly through e-learning.”

Georgia added, “Now, when we look at a project and it comes through, we ask whether e-learning is actually the best option. Would it be better as a classroom-based session, or is a blend more appropriate? So now you're more critical about it. It’s about thinking what the best way is to give training to people.”

One of the most important parts of Georgia’s apprenticeship journey has been her focus on accessibility - something shaped by her own experiences at school.

“The most rewarding part of my apprenticeship has been being an advocate for accessibility. I’m dyslexic, so I’ve always struggled with things at school. I didn’t do particularly well at school because the set up didn’t suit me. It was classroom based with very little consideration for different ways of learning.

“With that mindset and experience, I always ask myself how I can make learning accessible for everybody. Whether that’s having narration or making sure there’s alt text. Before, people created e-learning and made it look nice, but that might not actually work for everybody.”

Rebecca’s visit also gave Georgia the chance to step away from her usual routine and reflect on the work she does behind the scenes.

“I’m usually away in an office and I don’t normally see people, so it was really nice to talk about it, share my views on things, and talk about what I love about my job.”

That work has a much wider impact than many people might realise, helping staff across the NHS access the training they need to do their jobs well.

“It’s about training for everyone,” said Georgia. “Obviously, what everyone does is fantastic, but they need the training to be able to do it. I’ve been working on trans advocacy awareness training, and that’s for everybody. Even if it’s optional, hopefully someone learns something from it.”

For anyone considering a digital apprenticeship, Georgia is honest about the challenge - but clear about the rewards.

“Think openly. You don’t know everything. You might think you do, but you will learn new things. Even minor things can change everything.”

And despite the hard work, she wouldn’t change her decision. She said, “I would recommend it 100%. It’s hard work, but if you’re passionate and have the time to give to it, it’s an amazing opportunity to earn, learn, and build a career. I can’t imagine leaving!”

Georgia’s story is a powerful example of how apprenticeships can open doors, build confidence, and create meaningful careers - all while making a real difference in organisations like the NHS.