NNUH apprentice celebrates success
Samantha Jones, a recruitment administrator at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, has reached the regional stage in a national competition celebrating the country’s top apprentices.
Samantha, 25, from Cromer, is a finalist in the Advanced Apprentice Category in the regional stage of the National Apprenticeship and Training Awards 2012. The awards have been designed to recognise and reward the achievements of exceptional apprentices and the businesses that employ them.
Samantha was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 16 and after realising her dream of having a career as a physical training instructor in the RAF was no longer achievable she drifted from one part-time job to another. It was through the Prince’s Trust that Samantha was given a chance to achieve the qualifications in numeracy and literacy that she had missed out on at school. She was then offered a two-week placement at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as part of her Prince’s Trusts training and was immediately interested in the range of jobs that are carried out in the hospital.
Sam joined the trust as an apprentice administrator working with Training and Development Manager, Julia Watling and Apprenticeship Coordinator, Annie Cook, on the hospital’s apprenticeship programme. Last year Samantha was presented with the James Barney Foundation Breakthrough Award from the Prince’s Trust after turning her life around. This August Samantha started a new role as a Recruitment Administrator in the hospital’s HR department.
Sam said: “I am thrilled and very grateful to be in the finals and feel that this is further proof of the great work of the Prince’s Trust, of whom I am very grateful. Without them, their partnership with NNUH and Julia Watling and the support of Annie Cook, this would not have been possible. I am now enjoying my new post and have thoroughly enjoyed my time here at the hospital and am very excited about my future career here. I hope this inspires other young people to work hard and achieve goals, despite the hand life may have dealt them.”
Annie Cook, Apprenticeship Co-ordinator at NNUH said: “Sam epitomises everything that is great about apprenticeships. Sam joined the Trust via the Princes Trust 'Get in to Hospital' scheme having been unemployed for a while and quickly became an invaluable member of the team. By undertaking the Advanced Apprenticeship in Business Administration, Sam was able to encourage and talk with confidence to other apprentices and managers about the value of apprenticeships. I am delighted Sam has now secured a substantive post within our recruitment team and I have no doubt she will have a very long and successful career within the Trust. She has been a pleasure to work with.”
The National Apprenticeship and Training Awards ceremony will be held in October.