Mercy, Theatre Support Worker Apprentice

Mercy Chimanga, a Theatre Support Worker Apprentice, at Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) Trust, has shared her inspiring career journey to encourage others to achieve their career goals.

Based in Eyes Theatre in the Eyes, Ears Nose and Throat Building (EENT) at Queens Medical Hospital, Mercy was inspired to get into healthcare because of her Auntie who was a nurse for over 40 years and based in Zimbabwe. Mercy recounted fondly of how nurturing her Auntie was and how she looked in her uniform before she set off to work. With this in mind, Mercy came over to Nottingham from Zimbabwe to join her cousin who was also based in the city.

Joining Nottingham University Hospitals in 2018, Mercy chose NUH as her employer because she said “I felt established in my home life in Nottingham, and wanted to give back to the community.”

Starting out as an apprentice, Mercy, 40, preferred to go down an apprenticeship pathway rather than go to university she said: “I knew I would be able to finish my studies with no debt and it felt like a very good opportunity as I would be working with an income and learning in a job that I love to do, as I learn more through a hands on approach.”  

As a Theatre Support Worker Apprentice, Mercy ensures the day to day set up of the theatre, which includes making sure that the rooms are prepped to the correct temperatures, the machines are set up and that all the details of who’s in the theatre team are readily available. She added: “I love it, my team are so friendly, everybody is there to help each other and they have made me feel really comfortable.”

With her career progression firmly in mind, Mercy said: “I did not hesitate to tell my line manager that if there was an opportunity for development I wanted to do it, and my manager was very happy to help me develop.” Then when the opportunity to do her Level 3 pathway Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) training arose, Mercy grabbed the opportunity and completed the 12-18 month course in a much earlier than expected timescale.

Garry Dawe, Theatre Clinical Educator, put Mercy’s incredible dedication down to the fact that “she was so motivated…she’s a great role model for all our support workers.” This was then reflected by Mercy’s achievement in being presented with an apprentice award for being shortlisted for this year’s ‘Health, Science and Care Apprentice of the Year.’

The Health, Science and Care Apprentice of the Year Award, hosted by Nottingham College recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements of apprentices and the positive impact apprenticeships have on employers and the community. Mercy said: “It made me feel so good, I didn’t know there was something like that, and I felt like I had been recognised and was very proud of myself.”

Now, because of her amazing progress and dedication to her current role, Mercy gets to begin her Operating Department Practitioner (ODP) apprenticeship in September 2023. Asked where she wants to be in five years’ time, Mercy replied: “For the next three years I will focused on my apprenticeship course and then I would like to think for the latter two years I will be settled in my role as a new ODP.I will feel great, confident and proud of myself that I have achieved my dream goal.

“My advice to anyone wanting to do an apprenticeship is use the resources that you have and do not be afraid to ask, you are not alone.” Mercy also wanted to give thanks to her tutor, management team and all of her colleagues who supported her throughout her career development.