A clerical apprenticeship at Dorset Council has helped pave the way for a 30 year career in digital technology for Lisa Trickey.
Lisa, who is currently Head of Digital Strategy and Design, says the apprenticeship has been brilliant, helping progress her career while seeking new qualifications.
Her love of all things digital started at an early age and she remembers fondly the first BBC school’s computer introduced and fascinated as computer code turned into images.
Back in the early 1990’s, Lisa was a student at Purbeck School, she embarked on a City and Guilds for Business course at what’s now Bournemouth and Poole College and was studying for A level maths.
“I had grown up in a rural area and I was keen to do something different but wasn’t sure what. I decided to apply for a clerical apprenticeship at Dorset Council and they offered me a position in September 1992.”
Both her parents are disabled and have needed social care support over the years and so when offered a choice of placement at the Council Lisa requested Social Services.
She joined the general office where she got to know everyone and built up her knowledge. Alongside her two-year apprenticeship, Lisa completed a BTEC and then HND in Business and Finance, which helped her understanding of research, using data, and delivering projects.
When an opportunity arose in the newly formed Information Liaison team to install computers and train people how to use them in day centres and residential homes, she jumped at the chance. This brought together Lisa’s interest in computing and starting to explore how technology could help people.
‘In the team I got to experience a variety of disciplines such as business process improvement, requirements gathering, data querying and analysis, buying and implementing software, and within several years was managing a team of 30 people and getting involved in national projects to improve the use of technology and data in care.
Lisa continued to develop her skills with NVQ Level 5&7 management and strategic leadership qualifications and moved into the ICT Service as a Business Partner.
Lisa thinks her apprenticeship set her up well for work at Dorset Council: “it instils a habit of learning, a focus on the future, and that you can effect change. Your network with apprentice colleagues and apprenticeships opens doors to wider contacts. The mindset enables you to think bigger than your own service or organisation and you learn how to collaborate and work with partners to overcome challenges.’
Dorset Care Record
Lisa used these skills when she was a Business Partner helping to set up the Dorset Care Record in 2013/4 when she was thinking about the digital future of joined up shared care records and how it could help people.
She left the DCR to develop and implement the council’s digital strategy and in her current position now finds herself helping develop young apprentices who have just joined the local authority.
“We currently have one level 5 management apprentice and two digital apprentices covering content and service design. It’s great to support the next generation,” she added.
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