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After 20 years working in travel and tourism, a move into healthcare during the COVID pandemic changed Louise's career path. Starting out as a Medical Laboratory Assistant, Louise quickly discovered an interest in the work taking place in the lab and decided to take things further with a Biomedical Science apprenticeship. Now progressing towards becoming a Biomedical Scientist, Louise shares how taking that step has helped her grow in confidence, develop new skills, and open up new opportunities.

What made you want to pursue an apprenticeship in Biomedical Science?

I started working in healthcare during the COVID pandemic, first as bank staff, then later as a permanent MLA, having previously worked in travel and tourism for 20 years. I work in a histology lab and find the work we do absolutely fascinating. I want to learn more about the academic side, as most of my colleagues have already completed their university degrees. What started as a temporary situation has completely changed my career and made me even more determined to progress in my role.

Why did you choose to study an apprenticeship?

Through my workplace training, I reached the limit of what I could achieve through work-based learning alone, and to progress any further in the lab, I needed to pursue a science degree. I looked at multiple options to go forward, and the apprenticeship route was the best fit for me because it meant I could keep working in my lab where I am currently training (which I love!), whilst having protected time on the study day to complete my university work and registration portfolio.

What does your apprenticeship involve day to day?

Within the workplace, I am following the Trainee BMS training plan, gradually training in different areas of the lab and gaining hands-on experience in skills I need for progression, such as microtomy, transfer dissection, and IHC. I enjoy having a structured plan in place, as it allows me to reflect on workplace development year on year.

At university, there is a mix of in-person practical sessions, recordings of lectures originally delivered on our non-study days, and online Teams tutorials just for the apprentices. I find having mixed learning streams really beneficial because it mimics healthcare lab-life more closely - the practicals and discussion-based tutorials in particular are similar to how work-based learning is undertaken. Then the lecture content fills in the gaps of knowledge on the side of things.

Looking back over your time on the apprenticeship so far, how have you found the whole experience?

I have really enjoyed my time as an apprentice and can't quite can it's almost it's almost it's! I'm really proud I chose this route to registration because I have seen real development in my skill set at work, backed by the knowledge and skills gained through the university. It may sound cheesy, but it has really shown me I can do anything I set my mind to, so long as I am willing to put in the effort.

How would you describe the support that you’ve received from the Â׸£ÀûƬ?

The support received at the University has been invaluable. All the extra resources at the library, such as webinars on how to reference in assignments properly and academic skills support, were really helpful in getting back into academic life after being out of education for a long time. The module tutors and apprentice lead are all extremely approachable and understand that apprentice learning is slightly different from that of the full-time students, so our queries may be a little different to theirs. The regular progress meetings are useful because they highlight areas of focus and are a great celebration of achievement, too.

What has been your proudest achievement in your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest moment was definitely being nominated for (and winning!) the Allied Health category of the Apprentice of the Year award in 2025. Attending a night dedicated to celebrating all things apprenticeship-related was fantastic because everyone in the room understands the hard work and dedication that go into apprenticeships, from academics to training providers to other apprentices. I was nominated by my training lead at work and by the apprentice lead at university, which was truly an honour. I have always tried to say yes to every opportunity given - be it marketing videos or IBMS presentations - so to see this recognised was really wonderful. It also allowed me to reflect on exactly how much I had progressed mentally, too, in such a short amount of time - from feeling like an imposter and questioning whether I could even do it, to celebrating success and leading by example.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

I would say believe in yourself enough to go for it. When I was looking into apprenticeships, I had total imposter syndrome. I didn't think it was something I could accomplish, coming from a completely different world and with no science background beyond high school in the early 00s. It couldn't be the truth when you actually get here. Every apprentice starts at their own starting point, whether it's a career change, like mine, or someone who has been in a lab role for 12 months or 15 years! I personally think having apprentices with such a wide range of experience makes us so wonderfully unique as learners.

Do you have any advice for future apprentices?

Say yes to as much as you can. Take part in Q&As, get involved with the local IBMS group, and use LinkedIn to develop your network. I found being the course representative (for apprentices-only) really rewarding because the feedback we gave on modules and the apprenticeship in general has already implemented some improvements for future apprentices. 

Each module has peaks and troughs, so that you may spend an extra weekend or two during assignment deadline time at the library or wherever you find you work best (sometimes for me it's the booth at work after hours!), but during teaching breaks, also take care to give yourself a little breather too. 

And finally, during your initial induction, get someone to set up the apprentice-only WhatsApp group chat on day 1 because it will become your lifeline! My cohort of apprentices has been so supportive across the three years, and having this shared experience with people who understand what you're going through is key.

Find out more about our Applied Biomedical Science Apprenticeship