Social Work Apprentice Review

Item: Social Work Apprentice at Norfolk County Council
Rating: 5
Author: Anonymous

at Norfolk County Council

Degree Apprenticeship

Social Work

Norwich

Review Submitted: April 2025

Overall Rating

5 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

5/5 - Overview of Role

5/5 - Skills Development

5/5 - Structure and Support

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:

5/5

I work within a Family Help Team shadowing Social Worker's Family Practioners and other multi-disciplinary team members. We visit children and families who are experiencing difficulties and work alongside them to empower and enable them to better manage their own lives.

To what extent do you enjoy your programme?

5/5

I am really enjoying the program - as a mature student, I was worried about starting my career again as a apprentice, however everyone around me has been incredibly supportive at both Norfolk County Council and at the University of East Anglia, who also offer an incredible amount of support.

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?

5/5

I am learning a huge amount of skills and theory to develop my practice, the team are incredibly supportive and friendly, and the opportunities to learn from experienced team members are varied. Its really valuable being able to reflect and spend time with so many experienced staff, learning adapting and reflecting.
We have a morning meeting every morning where we discuss active cases ensuring everyone feels really supported, and has the opportunity to feed in any thoughts and reflections.

Structure and Support

How well organised/structured is your programme?

5/5

The programme is very well structured and organised. We have been given a timetable of study days and block weeks for the first 2 years of the program. We also have year 3 with the caveat that they may change - which is entirely reasonable that far in advance.
We have really structured program and regular meet ups with other apprentices to ensure we all feel supported. We have meetings where we can voice what is working well and what needs improving.

How much support do you receive from your employer?

5/5

We are very well supported by our employer with additional study days and encouragement to make line managers aware of when we have deadlines etc. We are given a reduced caseload, and if there are any issues we are able to discuss with both our workplace and our academic advisor. We have quarterly meetings.

How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?

5/5

We have weekly full days sessions at the UEA as well as a range of online portals to communicate with them. We have additional pre-recorded lectures and other stretch activities.
The workload is high - as to be expected with a degree apprenticeship however the support from the learning enhancement team is excellent.

How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?

5/5

The apprenticeship is a really good way to qualify as a Social Worker as from what I know of people going through a pure university route they struggle with putting the theory into practice, as we are spending 4 days in practice a week this enable a much better and more comprehensive learning experience.

Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)

5/5

Yes there are across the organisation - however I have only been here for 3 months so I have not yet had any specific to our team. There is a huge amount with our training provider as well.
We have daily team meetings whi9ch have enabled me to build a close relationship with my colleagues despite this.

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Norfolk County Council to a friend?

Yes

Why?

I have already recommended the apprenticeship course to one of my friends, this is due to the level of support received and the opportunity to learn, grow and develop. There is a strong focus on wellbeing and ensure that we look after ourselves especially given the taxing nature of the work that we do.