A stay in hospital and witnessing the ‘team spirit’ of the NHS drove Jake Ellington to swap his sales career for the operating theatre.

The 50-year-old, from Banbury, works as an apprentice Operating Department Practitioner at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, studying for his degree apprenticeship at Bucks New University.

“My working life began in the early 1980s fitting kitchens, I left school with no qualifications other than a swimming certificate,” says Jake.

“From there I spent many years in recruitment management. I also ran my own business and held various positions across a range of industries but all these roles were essentially sales and profit generation in nature. I never at any stage had any form of a ‘plan’ other than to make as much money as I possibly could.”

But a stint in hospital changed Jake’s outlook and was the catalyst for a big life change.

He said: “I made the decision to work for the NHS in the hospital I had been a patient in. This was entirely due to the team spirit I witnessed among the staff. This was something I had been missing.”

Operating Department Practitioners (ODP) provide high standards of skilled care and support for patients, of all ages, during each phase of a patient’s perioperative care - anaesthetic, surgical and recovery.

“12 months ago I had no idea what an ODP was or what they did,” explains Jake.

“Given my lack of any formal education or relevant experience I decided that portering was something I could do, but then I was lucky enough to secure a position as an operating department orderly.

“I loved this job and still enjoy the aspects of it that first attracted me, namely the interaction with patients. I genuinely get enormous satisfaction from helping patients and giving them reassurance.

“The team spirit and camaraderie that exist are just brilliant.”

But the call to increase his skills and career progression was strong, and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust had an apprenticeship scheme in place with Bucks New University.

Bucks offers three routes into ODP in the effort address the NHS shortage of ODP professionals – traditional degree, apprenticeship and higher diploma.

But for Jake the apprenticeship offered the ideal way to hone his new career – offering him a great opportunity to earn as he learned.

He says: “I was so fortunate that my Trust had an active apprentice ODP programme in place and that it made me aware of this fantastic opportunity. I am a single parent so from a financial point of view there would have been no other way I could do the course.”

So what’s the best thing about being an apprentice?

“For me, it is the hands on learning,” says Jake. “As I have said I am as far from academic as it’s possible to get, but I have always been good with my hands and am a practical person.

“Also the staff within my trust are incredibly patient and supportive which makes being a student here an absolute privilege. “

 

The next three years are going to pass regardless, the difference is what you choose to do with them and where you want to be

Apprenticeships are work-based, so training and assessment predominantly takes place within the business in which they are employed, however 20% of an apprentice’s time must be dedicated towards their study.

 

Jake balances his life, work and training by being organised, adding: “I use my allocated study time and basically approach this job exactly the same as I have approached every other job I have had. I strive to be as useful as I can be and ‘pull my weight’, this is really very important to me.

“I have always taken a pride in being someone people want to work with. The long-term dream is to be a very, very good ODP. Again someone consultants and staff really want to work with. I will be happy to achieve that.”

Jake is in the process of completing his very first academic essay.

What would Jake say to someone thinking of doing a degree apprenticeship?

“I would say go for it. This is an absolutely unique opportunity, a gift really. Nowhere else would an employer offer you this, certainly not in the commercial world.

“The next three years are going to pass regardless, the difference is what you choose to do with them and where you want to be.

“I am incredibly grateful to be where I am today. I am lucky enough to work in an environment filled with some of the most compassionate, intelligent and highly skilled people on the planet.

“We make a difference to people’s lives every day and that is a privilege.”

To find out more about our apprenticeships and how we can help your business visit our dedicated pages.