BUILD THE FUTURE: Kiera is the first in her family to graduate

She said: “I had always wanted to go to University and get a degree. No one in my family has a degree and it was a personal goal of mine.  Unfortunately, at the time it didn’t slot in with my life circumstances so I joined the NHS in Cornwall but wasn’t sure which speciality I wanted to focus on so I worked in a multi-disciplinary team to gain more perspective.

“When I joined RWT in 2016 I worked as a Bank Health Care Assistant, before joining Orthopaedics in 2017. I did lots of things to develop myself like dementia training and studying for a Care Certificate. I had almost completed an Access course in 2016 and gained a place at university to become a nurse but struggled to manage the workload. When I was accepted in 2018, I was excited and nervous about starting the Nursing Associate Degree Apprenticeship.

“Studying has identified both strengths and weaknesses for me, which is a good thing. I’ve had to focus my efforts on time management but had lots of support from the University and my employers.  It hasn’t been an easy road to the finish line but I always wanted to do better and I enjoy learning. I am extremely proud to say that I now have a degree with distinction and my NMC PIN.

“I’ve made lots of friends, the module leads and tutors go out of their way to support you and I’ve learned that you can and should reach out for help if you need it.  I’m looking forward to continuing to develop new skills in my new role as Nursing Associate and the wide ranging responsibilities that go with that.”