This week is National Apprenticeship Week 2021 (NAW21). It focusses on the impact apprenticeships can have on individuals, local businesses and regional economies and how this alternative way of learning can help ‘Build the Future’ of our communities.

Alan Armstrong, an apprentice at Buckinghamshire New University, has spoken to Marketing Officer, Lauren Besant, about his experiences studying to be a registered nurse at the University while working as a healthcare assistant at Spire Healthcare.

Alan, who is in his second year of the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship, says that training to be a nurse through an apprenticeship comes with huge benefits and encourages anyone else working in a similar role to 'just do it!'.

“You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain,” said Alan. “I know that three and a half-years is a big time commitment, but it’s worthwhile as it will last you for an entire career.”

Alan also highlighted the huge benefit of employers funding apprenticeships, ensuring that opportunities are accessible to everyone.

Similar to the traditional route of applying through UCAS to study the BSc (Hons) Nursing Degree, apprentices can experience different placements out in the community and also in hospitals, including operating theatres.

“The levels of experience that I’m gaining from going to different placements and seeing different types of nursing is only going to benefit my long-term career because I’m getting to know what’s out there,” said Alan.

Alan has been nominated for the second year running for the Skills for Health awards. The first year it was for the Rising Star award and this year it’s for Apprentice of the Year award.

You can hear more about Alan’s apprenticeship experience, including why he chose a career in nursing, in the first of our Ask an Apprentice podcast series.

If you’d like to find out more about applying to our RNDA programme, please contact apprenticeships@bnu.ac.uk

Read more of our Apprenticeship success stories, we will add to this list throughout the week:

• We spoke to some of our Thames Valley Police student officers about why they became policing apprentices