A Computing apprentice’s journey to her dream job
Through a degree apprenticeship, Karen Windsor has transformed her career and secured her ideal role, tackling a number of personal challenges along the way. She showcases growth and perseverance as she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Computing at our winter ceremony.
Karen, now a Clinical Coding Operations Manager at the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust, already had 20 years’ experience working for the NHS in Clinical Coding. However, she felt her career path was constrained, with her skill set narrowly focused and little opportunity to branch out.
Encouraged by HR and supported by Digital Health and Care Wales in their initiative to upskill their staff, Karen decided to pursue an Apprenticeship in Computing (Data & Information Systems).
“I chose Data and Information Systems as data was in my sphere of work and I thought it would provide me with the knowledge and skills to step outside the box.”
Karen’s journey wasn’t without any challenges, starting with self-doubt and the panic she felt when faced with learning new skills:
“At the beginning, I really struggled. My IT skills were little to none and I honestly doubted if I could do it.
“I had been out of education for 30 years and was very conscious that I was old enough to be most of the students’ mother. I worried I wouldn’t be able to keep up with their young brains.”
Despite her initial apprehension, Karen found a supportive community among her peers.
“The highlight of the course was the friends I made. I’ve never met such a great group of people. Without their support, I wouldn’t have been able to pass. They kept me going.”
Karen’s determination was tested further during her final year when a family tragedy struck. Despite these challenging circumstances, Karen remained committed to her studies and credits UWTSD staff with guiding her through the final stretch.
“The student welfare officers were amazing arranging extensions for two of my modules, and I still submitted only a couple of weeks after my classmates.
“My lecturers helped me with my final project which I handed in on time. I’m so proud of what I created thanks to their help and support.”
Graduating this November at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, Karen shows that her work has paid off, not only by completing the degree but by also securing her dream job.
“This year, I achieved the role I’ve always wanted. I’m still in clinical coding, but now I’ve built my own dashboard powered by SQL scripts I wrote myself, and I’m developing a new data warehouse table to automate coding processes using the knowledge I gained from the course.”
The most profound change has been her confidence.
“The modules, such as AI, data mining, and networking, were directly relevant to my job, helping me understand colleagues’ needs and communicate effectively. I no longer rely on others for guidance and confidently research and solve problems myself - a massive personal achievement.”
She encourages others to consider a degree apprenticeship, saying: “It widens your horizons and gives you the confidence to excel in areas you never considered before. I’d recommend it to anyone - it’s a chance to redefine yourself.”
Further Information
Mared Anthony
Communications and PR Officer: Alumni Relations
Corporate Communications and PR
Email: mared.anthony@uwtsd.ac.uk
Phone: +447482256996