National Apprenticeship Week: meet nursing apprentice Vicky

Our Trevarna home are celebrating Vicky Taylor, their first apprentice to embark on the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship programme, following her dream of becoming a nurse.  

Vicky, age 27, successfully completed her Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship in late 2024 and is working towards a Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA) at Trevarna Residential and Nursing Home.

Vicky aspired to be an army combat medic but discovered her passion for the care sector after joining another Sanctuary Care home in Cornwall as a care assistant. She moved to Trevarna last year to embark on her new apprenticeship journey.

Funded by Sanctuary Care, in partnership with Plymouth University, the RNDA enables care staff with the right talent and passion to become fully-fledged nurses. Vicky is one of 30 staff members currently undertaking an apprenticeship with us. 

National Apprenticeship Week 2025, which celebrates the value, benefit and opportunity of apprenticeships, marks Vicky’s seven-year anniversary in care. 

On completion of her apprenticeship, she will be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Reflecting on her journey, Vicky said: “Working in care was meant to be a stop gap, but I ended up loving it so much that I’m now completing my second apprenticeship. When I joined Trevarna, I wanted to make a difference. I didn’t realise it would be such an enriching career and now, it feels like I have a second family. The residents mean the world to me, and I can’t imagine working anywhere else!

“To graduate as a nurse will be a dream come true. I would encourage anyone considering an apprenticeship to do it, it’s really rewarding!”

Wendy Burt, FHEA Adult Nursing Lecturer and Registered Nurse Apprenticeship Programme Lead at the University of Plymouth said: “The University of Plymouth is pleased to be working with Sanctuary Care to provide career progression apprenticeships to their dedicated workforce. The Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship offers a balance of university-level study, alongside placement experiences, enabling application of theory to practice at every step of the learner's journey.”

For more information about working for Sanctuary Care, head over to our recruitment pages. Or to find out more about our care options at a care home near you, our Enquiry Support Team are here to help on 0800 331 7414.