3 February 2021

Lois is loving life as an apprentice

Lois is loving life as an apprentice

National Apprenticeship Week 2021 is all about celebrating apprenticeships and highlighting the work done by employers and apprentices.

We'd love for you to meet Lois. She is 18 years old, is two years into her career as a carer and has won the respect of her clients and colleagues alike!

After completing her Care Certificate, and Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care with us, she started working for West Sussex-based Elite Choice Home Care.

Lois recounts: “I really enjoyed it, doing the job quickly became so normal to me that I didn’t think about the scale of what I was doing. Everyone was happy for me to try learning new skills and they encouraged me to work at my own pace.”

Lois now has the qualifications she needs to progress further but has studied for them alongside caring for clients and getting paid. She said: "I am learning, getting the experience and I love what I do.”

She adds that the role offers so much more than people realise. She laughs: “So many of my friends ask me why I would want to do this job. I get comments like “You’re just wiping people’s bottoms”, but that isn’t what the job is. You are building relationships. Even going in and making someone a sandwich; helping them make appointments; light household duties; paying their bills; taking them shopping or sitting with them to have a chat, makes their day so much better. It is also a diplomatic role as you are dealing with your clients’ families.”

Lois is due to begin her Level 3 Diploma in Health Care, which will provide a more clinical focus helping her to fulfill her ultimate ambition of going to University to do a Nursing Degree. This role, she says, has allowed her to experience all aspects of care and cemented in her mind what aspects of the job she loves the most – the medical side. It’s a path she advocates for anyone considering a career in care. She says: “Ring around care companies and homes; get yourself out there; and be open to anything.” The rewards for her have been huge. As she says: “This job has made me a different person and, actually, a better person.”

To find out more about apprenticeships visit: www.escg.ac.uk/apprenticeships or give our friendly team a call on: 030 300 39777. You can also email us: apprenticeships@escg.ac.uk