At Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, we pride ourselves on being a great place to train and work and are passionate about attracting, recruiting and retaining valuable members of staff who can help to shape our workforce.

To ensure we can continue to meet the needs of our local population, the Health Board is focused on building our future workforce and one of the ways this is being done, is by investing in valuable apprenticeship schemes.

One scheme in particular that has seen recent success is the Primary Care Business Administration Apprenticeship, which has seen three individuals join the Primary, Community and Intermediate Care (PCIC) team over the last year to develop their skills, experience and knowledge to embark on a career within Primary care.

Rhys Pepper, Jennifer Searle and Beatrice Ferda-Riley have spent the last twelve months supporting with administration, business & contract management, reception duties, communication and data work and attending a variety of meetings. Each apprentice spent eight months of their placement with a hosted GP practice and the remaining 4 months working alongside the Primary Care Team within the Health Board to provide a broad experience of operational general practice, contract management and strategic planning.

As the first time the Primary Care Team had hosted apprentices, Rhys, Jennifer and Beatrice’s support has been instrumental and all three individuals have been offered permanent positions with their hosted GP practice.

“The success of the apprentices shows how much of an influence they have had during their time on placement. The demand for Primary Care services across the system has increased tremendously over the last few years and the drive and determination of the apprentices to support during challenging periods has been really impressive. Each apprentice demonstrated drive and determination to respond to the needs of the practice, manage their own responsibilities and develop their skillset. The feedback received from the practices has been incredibly positive. We wish Jennifer, Beatrice and Rhys all the success with their new careers,” commented Josie Smith, Primary Care Contract & Development Manager.

Speaking about their time with the Health Board, Jennifer commented: “This apprenticeship covered all aspects of what I was looking for following leaving college. I was able to pursue a career in business administration, try different roles within this and gain a Level 2 qualification. What I enjoy most about my role is that that each day is different and I am always learning something new. Also, the teams have been a joy to work with and have helped me to learn and grow in many ways. I am looking forward to joining the practice on a permanent basis after my apprenticeship is complete.”

Rhys explained: “I did not want to go to university so I had been looking for apprenticeship schemes that would benefit my future. I was looking for a role that would enhance my skill set, benefit the local community and interest me on a daily basis and the role with the Health Board had all of that. Every day there is a new challenge or something different to learn and I have had complete support from all of my colleagues which has aided my professional development. I am so grateful for this opportunity and that I decided to embark on this apprenticeship and am looking forward to getting started in my new role in September.”

Already working in her permanent position as a Prescription Clerk at Brynderwen and Minister Surgeries, Beatrice said: “I chose to embark on an apprenticeship as I wanted to expand my knowledge within Primary Care, try something new and give back to the community. Over the last 12 months, I have learned so much about the working environment, developed new skills and met new people, I also feel that I have grown so much in confidence since starting, which helps me in all aspects of my life. An apprenticeship is a practical way to learn on-the-job skills and communication skills, whilst earning money – I would advise anyone to try it!”

Good luck to Jennifer, Rhys and Beatrice as they begin their careers with Cardiff and Vale!

To find out more about the job and apprentice opportunities within Primary Care, click here to visit our dedicated jobs page.