Spotlight on Talent : Marie Warren

Studied: Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship with Dudley Hospital Group NHS Trust
Progression: BSc Business and Tourism Management

An apprenticeship has provided Marie Warren with a gateway on to a degree and towards a growing interest in research and project management.  The 27-year-old completed her Level 3 Apprenticeship with Dudley Hospital Group NHS Trust and is now studying business and tourism management at Canterbury Christchurch University’s Birmingham Campus.

She aims to utilise her degree and industry experience to pursue a career in project management, either in-house or as an independent consultant.

“I’ve recently been working with my friend to help get her business selling hair and hair products off the ground,” said Marie.  “I’ve been enjoying this.  It’s a taste of the kind of career I can look forward to after my degree.”

Marie’s decision to switch from a career as a support worker into business professional services came about through her partner.  As a software developer, he turned to Marie for research support while he was creating and maintaining apps.

The processes involved in this inspired her to explore ways to take her career into a whole new direction.

“Starting an Apprenticeship was going to be a risk,” admits Marie.  “Not just financially but academically too.  I wasn’t the most conscientious of students when I was at school, so I worried a bit about whether I had enough discipline to get on with my coursework, especially with the learning being online.

“I actually surprised myself by now dedicated I became.  I loved all the research I was doing for my assignments.  I realized this was just the start of what I could do.”

Such was Marie’s newfound passion for her work, she pulled out all the stops for the project she completed as part of her qualification.  This saw Marie creating an online user guide for OASIS; an online platform used by the hospital trust to update patient records and visits, book appointments and secure funding

Although she created the guide to support colleagues in her community team, it proved so effective that it is now shared with all staff joining the organisation.  This was a confidence booster for Marie.

“It’s testament to how much I loved studying my apprenticeship qualification,” she said.  “It was an enjoyable experience.”

“I do wish I’d taken up an Apprenticeship sooner, but I see now that it’s never too late to give something a go,” Marie continued.  “I just felt that I should at least try and see what could happen.  Yes, there was a risk that things might not work out, but there was also the chance they would.”

Marie added: “Changing careers is the best decision I could have made.  I have no regrets; just hopes for my future.”