A young graduate who had been working in a coffee shop after university is now embarking on an exciting new career thanks to a pioneering apprenticeship programme at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Errin Hughes is one of three young apprentices who started work with NHSGGC last month after taking a chance on careers they had never previously considered. Now, they hope their experiences will encourage others to do the same.
Today, all three are the health board’s first Apprentice Health & Safety Officers, gaining hands-on experience while building careers in a field that is giving them new challenges every day.
For Amy Stevenson that meant stepping away from the psychology career she had spent four years studying for at university. For Ellie Mitchell, it followed a chance conversation at an NHSGGC apprenticeships event in March which completely changed her plans for the future.
And for Errin, from Renfrewshire, it was an opportunity she nearly overlooked.
“I had resigned myself to working in a coffee shop for the rest of my life,” said the 23-year-old, who studied illustration at the University of Dundee.
“During university, I became quite worried about my future because it can be such a difficult industry to break into.
“I never realised there were opportunities in completely different industries available to me. When I saw this apprenticeship, I thought: why not? I’ve got nothing to lose.
“We’ve only been here a few weeks, but I’m absolutely loving it. Every day is different and I’ve realised there are so many exciting careers within the NHS that people simply don’t know about.”
Amy, 22, from Renfrewshire, graduated from the University of Glasgow this summer with a degree in psychology. However, she soon realised she wanted to explore a different path.
“I think a lot of people feel pressure to have everything figured out,” she said.
“When I started looking at apprenticeships, I came across health and safety and decided to research it.
“The opportunity to do an apprenticeship with the NHS has given me the chance to gain valuable experience while gaining a qualification at the same time.
“It’s also shown me that going to university doesn’t mean you’re locked into one career path forever.”
Meanwhile Ellie, 19, who lives in North Lanarkshire, attended NHSGGC’s Apprenticeship Pathways Event earlier this year planning to explore a career in dental nursing.
Instead, a conversation with members of the Health & Safety team sent her in a completely different direction.
“I didn’t even know a job like this existed,” she said. “But the more I learned about it, the more interested I became.
“I loved the fact that it covers so many different areas, from healthcare to construction and everything in between.
“As soon as I found out more about it, I knew it was something I wanted to do.”
The apprentices are already gaining experience across a wide range of environments, and Amy said one of the biggest surprises has been the amount of variety involved.
“You get exposed to so many different disciplines,” she said. “There aren’t many other jobs where you get to stand on a helipad on top of a hospital one day and visit a huge industrial laundry the next.”
Danny McInally, Lead Health & Safety Practitioner at NHSGGC, said the apprenticeship programme was created to show young people that health and safety is a rewarding profession open to people from all backgrounds.
“We attended the Apprenticeship Pathways Event to show young people how accessible and exciting a career in health and safety can be,” he said.
“Errin, Ellie and Amy stood out throughout the recruitment process because of their enthusiasm, confidence and willingness to learn. They have all made a fantastic start and bring fresh energy to the team every day.
“Their success shows that you don’t need years of previous work experience to build a career in health and safety. What matters is your attitude and your willingness to develop.”
All three apprentices have a similar message for anyone unsure about what comes next: Keep an open mind.
Errin added: “Don’t rule something out because you’ve never heard of it before.
“If you’re not sure what you want to do, just go for it and try something new. You never know where it might lead.”
Freddie Warnock, Head of Health and Safety at NHSGGC, said: “These apprentices demonstrate exactly why opportunities like this are so important. Talent can come from anywhere, and careers in the NHS are open to people from a wide range of educational and employment backgrounds.
“Errin, Ellie and Amy have already shown tremendous enthusiasm and potential, and we are delighted to welcome them to the team.
“We hope their stories encourage other young people to explore apprenticeship opportunities and consider careers they may never previously have thought possible.”
To find out more about apprenticeship opportunities with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, go to: Apprenticeships – NHSGGC
To find out more about careers in the NHS, go to: NHS Scotland | Jobs | Search here for your perfect career – Jobs Page
