Meet one of our Social Worker Degree Apprentices
Hear from Gabriella Heffer, one of our Social Worker Degree Apprentices at the University of Brighton, who is working as a Resource Officer for Adult Social Care at East Sussex County Council. She tells us about her experience on the programme and why she decided to do a degree apprenticeship.
“For me personally, I was not in a position financially where I could afford to pay for a degree course via the traditional route and so the apprenticeship felt like a perfect opportunity for me to be able to achieve the qualification I aspired to. Prior to starting the apprenticeship, I was working in a learning disability community team for adults with eligible social care needs as a Resource Officer and have worked with this client group for over 10 years.
“I am passionate about Social Work and the various career paths and opportunities it creates as a profession. I have a particular interest in becoming an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) one day in the future and this is a career goal that I plan to work towards once I qualify as a Social Worker.
“Through the apprenticeship, I have had the opportunity to shadow other professionals in various teams and this has broadened my awareness of the various roles in the Social Work profession. It has also provided me with the chance to consider working with other client groups that I may not have otherwise had the experience of.
“My learning on the apprenticeship has widened my knowledge of the theory behind Social Work which has enhanced my confidence and abilities to empower vulnerable people who need support. I would urge anyone considering a degree apprenticeship to seize the opportunity, as I really consider it to be a “golden ticket” of an experience. I have felt incredibly privileged to have been given both the experience of learning through my degree along with on-the-job learning in my workplace.
“I see apprenticeships as a benefit for any employer. It is a way of “growing your own” and demonstrates belief and confidence in existing staff which I feel increases job satisfaction and enhances productivity and performance. I feel valued and encouraged as a professional in terms of my career development and in turn feel a sense of loyalty to the organisation who have promoted my opportunities to work towards my future goals.”
Find out more about the programme here
Alex Petrovic • 04/04/2022