Apprenticeships.pngTwo radiographers have proudly stepped into their new professional roles after successfully completing their apprenticeships, marking a significant milestone in their careers.

Kerri Barker and Holly Mount graduated this July from the three-year apprenticeship programme, fully funded by the trust’s apprenticeship scheme. Both began their journeys with different backgrounds but shared the same drive to advance in radiography.

Kerri Barker (above, left), based at Chase Farm Hospital, has been with the trust for 23 years. Starting in a clerical role at BH, she gradually transitioned into patient-facing assistant roles.

“Moving into those roles meant much more patient interaction, which I really enjoyed,” Kerri reflected.

After qualifying as an assistant practitioner in 2011, she worked in that capacity until she embarked on the apprenticeship course in 2022.

The apprenticeship involved attending the University of Exeter campus three times a year for one week at a time, with the rest of the learning integrated into her work at CFH.

“I’m definitely a face-to-face learner, so this setup suited me perfectly. The support from my team and mentors was incredible,” she said.

Now qualified, Kerri embraces a more challenging workload with enthusiasm.

“I’m fully responsible for patient care during appointments. I like to think I’m a caring person so it really suits me, and I find it truly rewarding,” she added.

Holly (above, right), who was in the same class as Kerri, viewed the apprenticeship as an opportunity to complete a long-held goal.

She initially pursued an undergraduate radiography degree but paused her studies over 13 years ago when she became pregnant with her first child. Despite this, she maintained a strong connection to the NHS, working in various roles since she was 16, often taking bank shifts.

“At the time, the academic side of the degree was tough,” she said. “I failed by just one mark when I became pregnant at the end of the second year, so I decided to leave and focus on my family.”

She left with a qualification in imaging and healthcare science but always intended to return to radiography. She later became an assistant practitioner in radiography at Barnet Hospital, and her manager suggested she consider the apprenticeship programme.

“I had never really thought about apprenticeships in healthcare before – usually, you hear about them in construction,” Holly said.

Holly now aspires to specialise in interventional radiology and encourages others to pursue apprenticeships for career growth.

“Nothing is too difficult,” she said. “As a single parent balancing work, study, and family, graduating has been challenging. My children are proud and tell everyone about it – and having them at my graduation was amazing.”

Paul Marijetic, head of apprenticeships at the RFL, praised their achievements:

“We are incredibly proud of Kerri and Holly. Their dedication and hard work have been outstanding, and their expertise now contributes directly to delivering high-quality patient care at the RFL.

“Apprenticeships are a vital route to developing skilled healthcare professionals and they can also address staff shortages. I encourage all managers to consider them as a way of growing their own teams.”