Apprenticeship Case Studies - Rebecca Bridges

Becky Bridges, 21 is an AAT NVQ Student who currently works for the NHS within the finance department of Sheffield Health and Social Care Trust. Rebecca decided to change her chosen career path to work in the NHS where, through the support of the NHS and Kaplan, she has been able to achieve an NVQ in Accountancy (AAT).

When I first joined the NHS I discussed training and the possibility of my employer helping me to gain further qualifications however I put this off because I knew how much I didn’t get on with learning in that kind of environment. I then bumped into a Kaplan’s Business Development Manager, Andy Buncall, at a conference, he explained to us how the Apprenticeship route would work for me. Knowing that the Apprenticeship route was fun, a better/faster way of learning and enabled me to still bring home a salary, I jumped at the chance. I wasn’t aware that the NVQ qualification is so highly recognized by employers.

The Apprenticeship route is fun, flexible and using your day to day tasks at work as evidence is great! Instead of running up debts in loans to survive, you can bring home a wage while studying. I was also lucky enough to be eligible for government funding which enabled my employer to give me day release for college.

What I like about Kaplan is how they condense the time it takes to do the courses but we still learn everything we need to know. I know people who are studying the same qualification but with a local college, and they are all amazed at how quickly we get through tuition and still pass the same exams. I couldn’t say enough about my Tutor. She has been extremely supportive throughout my entire time there, during tuition and by email. I was always confident that should I ever have any questions whether it is general or not understanding something, I would be given the time and explanation, at whatever pace I needed.

Having such great friendly support, I believe, is a must when studying, and Kaplan ticks all the boxes. Now I am half way through my intermediate year and still enjoying every minute. Without Kaplan I probably wouldn’t have ever known about the benefits of gaining an NVQ.

Rebecca hopes to one day study towards her ACCA or CIMA qualifications with Kaplan.

“The availability of Government NVQ funding was discussed given that Rebecca was under 25 and a non-graduate. I also note that Kaplan has a very high pass rate.”
M. J. Rodgers, Executive Director of Finance