This National Apprenticeship Week 2023, we’re celebrating occupational therapy apprenticeships which launched in England in 2019 – and have been growing ever since! Apprenticeships are opening opportunities for more people to become occupational therapists and for organisations to grow their workforce.
Hear from RCOT, apprentices, employers and educators talk about their different experiences and how they’ve all benefited from apprenticeships.
Interested in becoming an apprentice?
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The future of apprenticeships
Carolyn Hay, RCOT Head of Education, talks about how apprenticeships are helping to grow the occupational therapy workforce and the next steps.
Being an apprentice means you can learn on the job
Rajeshree Tailor, an apprentice studying at Coventry University to become an occupational therapist through their master’s apprenticeship route, recounts her journey to pursue this career.
James Page is in his fourth-year placement with Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust. He shares his advice for people considering an occupational therapy apprenticeship and those who are starting.
Shana Ali, a second-year OT apprentice at Central and North West London NHS Trust CMHT Hillingdon, shares how she came to be on the apprenticeship, and what she loves about it!
Grow your teams with apprenticeships
Natasha May Powell, Advance Occupational Therapist Practitioner with Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust shares about the benefits of having apprentices in her team.
Nicola Bollen, Development Lead for Newly Qualified and Apprentice Occupational Therapists talks about why other employers should consider apprenticeships and how it impacts recruitment and retention.
Apprentices have a positive impact on our service, bringing new and up-to-date ideas, methods and approaches. By sharing their learning with colleagues, they bring further CPD opportunities. I’d advise future apprentices to be open minded to new experiences and opportunities. Make the most of every situation and implement your learning into the role. Try and shadow different settings to understand the breadth of a career as an OT.
Enhance your learning experience with practice
Clair Lancaster, Programme Leader for the Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Hertfordshire, shares her perspectives on the benefits of having apprentices in the program and her teaching experience with apprentices.
Apprenticeship programmes attract people into the profession who couldn’t follow the traditional BSc route. It’s also a great way for employers to grow their own workforce. You might have an OT support worker who’d make a brilliant OT. Learning whilst doing works much better for some people, as it allows them to immediately put their learning into practice, making it easier to understand and helps to build clinical skills.
Become an occupational therapy apprentice
To become an apprentice, you first need to have a relevant job so you can do the ‘on-the-job’ element. Discuss the possibility of an apprenticeship with your manager and any relevant education or apprenticeship teams within your workplace.
Research universities offering occupational therapy apprenticeships and attend open days. The entry requirements can vary, you might find you need to do some studying before you can apply.
Each apprenticeship is slightly different in the way they work. Some have one day a week at university, others one-week or two-week blocks every couple of months.
Ask about the practice-based learning too to see what opportunities there are, how long each placement is and when they take place.
Get support from the university team and your employer to guide you through the next steps in your apprenticeship journey.
Find out more about a career in occupational therapy and degree-level apprenticeships.