Congratulations Tom!
Congratulations to Tom Alder, who has completed his Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Science: Clinical Engineering!
In 2021, Tom started a three-year apprenticeship and BSc in Healthcare Science: Clinical Engineering, at the University of West England (UWE). The course required him to attend the university for block weeks as well as weekly distance learning, all completed whilst working full time in Clinical Engineering for SCL.
Having worked in clinical engineering with CDDFT for nearly 10 years before starting the course, Tom was confident on the subject but still found lots of the modules and class discussions beneficial. He also found it interesting to hear the approaches, processes and systems employed by other Trusts around the country, which offered him an opportunity to consider some best practices to bring back to our Trust.
Tom’s original enrolment on the course was a step into the unknown, given that nobody from CDDFT had previously attended. He acknowledges that aside from the academia, the decision to go to Bristol without anyone else from the team, pushed him well outside his comfort zone. However, he is also quick to point out that he has benefitted from significant personal development and made some great friends and enjoyed some very good times over the duration of the course, which wouldn’t have happened without that initial leap of faith.

Tom admits that the biggest challenge was finding the time to complete the coursework alongside full-time employment and a social life, but added that with the support of his line manager, he never missed a deadline.
Having successfully paved the way for SCL Clinical Engineering, the team have enrolled a further three engineers in the same course with two more engineers on Level 4 apprenticeships.
Congratulations on successfully completing your BSc Tom!