We are The Christie magazine -Edition 5

Apprenticeships

How apprenticeships help our staff to develop their careers At The Christie, we support staff to reach their full potential. Apprenticeships are one way we achieve this.

With National Apprenticeship Week Taking place earlier this year, we thought it’d be fitting to highlight how apprenticeships at The Christie can help build a long-term careers. An apprenticeship is a paid job that combines formal learning and assessment, leading to recognised qualifications. Four of our colleagues, Suzanne Lagan, Abbey Walker, Leah Hutchison-Saxon and Brian Hall share their experiences of apprenticeships at The Christie. They discuss how the opportunity to gain qualifications and develop practical skills has advanced their careers. Suzanne Lagan (Radiographer) In April 2025, Suzanne qualified as a fully registered diagnostic radiographer at The Christie, marking the culmination of more than a decade of learning, much of which was supported by the Trust. Suzanne began her career in beauty therapy, but her interest in anatomy and physiology led her to pursue a healthcare career. A careers open day at The Christie in 2010 led to a week’s placement in radiotherapy. Inspired, Suzanne researched further and realised that diagnostic imaging might be where her strengths lay. In 2011, she joined The Christie as a radiographic aide, gaining nine years of experience in CT and ultrasound. “I was fascinated by how image quality could influence someone’s diagnosis or treatment plan and the clinical decisions that impact patient care,” she recalls. Undiagnosed dyslexia and a lack of GCSEs in maths and English initially held her back, but The Christie supported her to complete the Care Certificate and an NVQ Level 3 in healthcare. This enabled her to apply for further training, and in 2019, she became the first person in diagnostic radiology at The Christie to take the assistant practitioner apprenticeship route. “I had a house, a family, and bills to pay, full-time university wasn’t an option. The apprenticeship meant I could earn and gain qualifications at the same time.” Encouraged by clinical tutors and colleagues, she completed the two-year programme plus a further 18 months of study to become a fully qualified radiographer in April 2025. Now working across X-ray, CT and interventional radiology, Suzanne is thriving. “It’s a big step up, but I was ready for it,” she says. “The Christie helped

me build the skills and confidence I needed.” Her manager, Sarah Simpson, says: “Suzanne is an outstanding example of what’s possible when someone with passion and commitment is given the right environment to grow. She’s overcome barriers with remarkable resilience. Suzanne is mentoring student radiographers and hopes to inspire others. If you're interested in healthcare, especially imaging, don’t let fears about age, background or study put you off, The Christie will support you every step of the way.”

Abbey Walker (Senior Clinical Trial Coordinator and Project Manager) March 2020 as one of the first business administration apprentices in the clinical trials Abbey joined The Christie in

coordinator team. With a background ranging from nursery work to payroll and accounts in a cheese factory, Abbey saw the apprenticeship as an opportunity to step into a meaningful specialist role. Inspired by her dad’s stem cell transplant treatment for multiple myeloma, Abbey seized the chance to learn on the job while gaining qualifications. “I’ve always preferred learning on the job,” she says. Her apprenticeship earned her a level 3 business administration qualification and a level 2 qualification in medical terminology. By 2023, she was promoted to a senior clinical trials coordinator secondment, later expanding into project management across the lymphoma and haematology research teams. One of Abbey's most significant challenges was adapting to the project manager role and learning new skills such as building an electronic database. Now in her second year of a project management degree apprenticeship with the University of Cumbria. Abbey credits her development to the exceptional support of her colleagues and managers, particularly her initial line manager, Juliet Harris, who nurtured her confidence. She enjoys her work and the opportunity to make a difference.

I had a house, a family, and bills to pay, full time university wasn’t an option. The apprenticeship meant I could earn and gain qualifications at the same time. Suzanne Lagan

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