Kathryn Taylor and Alice Weir explain the benefits of apprenticeships for dental practices and the apprentices they employ.
Apprentice dental nurse Kathryn Taylor won Apprentice of the Year at the 2024 Dentistry Awards. She joined Dr Rez Dental in 2023 following a spell in the teaching profession and feels it was certainly the right choice for her.
We heard from Kathryn and Dr Rez clinical manager Alice Weir on the benefits of apprenticeships for both apprentices themselves and their practices. How can employers and employees make the most of the experience and where can it lead in the future?
What are the benefits of apprenticeships?
Kathryn Taylor (KT): I chose the apprenticeship pathway for my training as I felt it would provide me with a really structured programme of high-quality training plus the opportunity to apply this learning in a busy workplace environment. This has been the case, with Harriet Ellis providing fantastic training plan, and the opportunity to work full-time at Dr Rez Dental, an outstanding award-winning private practice based in Liverpool City Centre.
Apprenticeships can provide an ideal package for someone wanting to become a qualified dental nurse – an excellent academic learning programme, the opportunity to apply these learnings practically at a dental practice, and to adjust to a regular working pattern. Plus the opportunity to earn a regular wage.
Alice Weir (AW): As a progressive dental practice, we are committed as an employer to providing employment opportunities to young people or people seeking a new opportunity to help them forge a new career pathway. To train an apprentice in the ‘Dr Rez way’ (processes, protocols, culture and values of the practice) from an early point can be extremely rewarding. We hope to foster a long-term relationship with the apprentice – from the onset of training through to achieving qualified status, and beyond. Our strategy is that we train and plan to retain for the long term.
Apprenticeships provide an outstanding opportunity for people to forge a career in the employment marketplace, a realistic pathway alternative to pursuing the academic pathway – college, university, etc.
I would really encourage practices considering providing an apprenticeship to go for it! Contact your nearest training provider to help you recruit the apprentice that is right for your business.
The Dentistry Awards celebrate excellence in dental practice, recognising dental professionals for their achievements and advancements.
For more information on all of our awards, visit www.dentistry.co.uk/awards.
How to make the most of an apprenticeship
KT: The best way for practices to get the most from their apprentices is to allocate sufficient management, time and resources to support them. This will help their continued progression. At Dr Rez Dental, this support has been fantastic throughout my own journey. Winning Apprentice of the Year at the 2024 Dentistry Awards is testament to this.
For prospective apprentices, I would advise making sure you do plenty of research into the profession and the day-to-day tasks of a dental nurse. It’s also really important to choose a practice who will be supportive during your apprenticeship training period.
AW: A new apprentice must have a great ‘can-do’ attitude when they start. An employer can then build upon this with the necessary training and mentoring support.
Applicants can effectively prepare for life as an apprentice via a mix of things: fully researching the job role (to ensure its the right one for them) and also securing as much work/workplace experience as possible. Volunteering for a local business or a part-time Saturday job can be really beneficial to preparing for the routine of workplace hours and a working environment.
Career progression
KT: After my apprenticeship, I hope to become an outstanding qualified dental nurse. I will also look to progress further within the sector.
AW: Dr Rez Dental prides itself on instilling a ‘lifelong learning’ culture for all of its employees, no matter what skills and experience they already have when they first arrive at the practice. Apprentices are very much part of this strategy.
The training opportunities they receive once they have qualified ensure that they will remain motivated and focused in their developing role at the practice, and very much in-line with the progression of Dr Rez Dental as a business.
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