Well done, Brad
Brad Richardson – Certified Level 4 Data Analyst
Huge congratulations to our Performance and Improvement Officer, Brad Richardson on the completion of his apprenticeship. He is now a certified Level 4 Data Analyst.
We thought we’d ask him about his apprenticeship journey and the impact it has had both professionally and personally. It also gave us the opportunity to see how important it is for anyone interested in undertaking an apprenticeship to have the support of their manager and team.
Why did you choose to do an apprenticeship?
I’d been in my previous workplace for 9 years and felt like I needed something new and a refresh. I’d already worked a little bit with data and found it interesting and something that I wanted to expand my knowledge about, so when I learnt about the role at Conexus I jumped at the chance.
What difference has the apprenticeship made to the way you work?
It’s made a big difference – balancing work and learning during the apprenticeship has honed my time management and organisational skills, it’s enhanced my skills in data but also in collaborating with colleagues/teamwork and has boosted my confidence in those areas.
How did you manage to balance study and work?
It was a struggle at times! I think the apprenticeship really helped me to learn how to prioritise (and also how to set boundaries) as you only have so much time in the day, so sometimes I had to prioritise work and move my college work to another day/time, and other weeks it would be the opposite.
What support did you get from Conexus / your team to do your apprenticeship?
I had constant support from everyone, but especially my line manager Russell – always asking me how it was going and if there was anything he could do to support. It really helped me to know I had somewhere to go if I felt I was really struggling – even if it was just a friendly ear and someone to talk things through with.
What is next for you?
A break from coursework! For now I’m going to take stock of how far I’ve come, support my apprentice through her course and hopefully be able to enhance the company with the skills I have learnt. I’ll most likely look to do Level 5 in Data Analytics, but for now just enjoying the break.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about doing an apprenticeship?
Do it, you absolutely will not regret it. From my experience I would say make sure you do something that you have an interest in – in moments when I found it tough, knowing that it was something that I wanted to do and also enhanced my future career prospects really kept me going.
We also asked Brad’s manager Russell Houghton and Debbie Brewin, Chief Operating Officer, why they supported Brad through his apprenticeship. Russell stated, “Investing in apprenticeships has helped us grow our team from within, ensuring that our staff develop the skills and knowledge tailored to specific needs. Having been both an apprentice and a mentor, I’ve seen firsthand the value these programs bring. Watching Brad excel (😉) through his Level 4 Data Analyst apprenticeship highlights how supporting people develop their skills internally strengthens our team and drives our success.”
Debbie added, “We supported Brad’s apprenticeship to invest in our team, to grow our own internal expertise and to help us deliver the best possible services we can for patients and practices.
Brad’s role helps us understand and analyse what we do and equips us with the intelligence and data to help us manage, learn and make decisions to improve our services. Improving his skills in this helps us do all that better!!!”
If you already work for us and are interested in an apprenticeship, speak to your manager to see what options are available to help you and your team develop.
If you are interested in working for Conexus or our primary care networks, we regularly advertise apprenticeships vacancies which support people to receive professional, structured workplace-based learning whilst contributing to our organisational delivery and objectives.
Keep an eye out on our vacancies to see what opportunities arise.