BUILD THE FUTURE – Nathan analyses his future prospects

“I have always wanted to go further in my education and looked at Open University courses but I needed something practical because I’m a ‘see it, do it’ learner and when the opportunity came up to do the Degree Apprenticeship it was the perfect fit for me.” 

Nathan Sutcliffe, 25 from Nottingham, is analysing his future prospects by studying for a Laboratory Scientist Degree Apprenticeship at the University of Wolverhampton, with his studies funded by his employer Severn Trent Water through the Apprenticeship Levy.

Nathan works as a Process Advisor in the Renewables/BioResource side of the business and focuses on treating sewage waste in order to recycle it and produce fertiliser which can be used on land.

After completing his A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Geography, Nathan joined Severn Trent as an Apprentice Site Operator and has worked with the company for six years working across different sites.

He said: “When I was doing my initial Apprenticeship I really took an interest in digester chemical and biological analysis and did a lot of wider reading and research into it and as a result, I gained a lot of experience.

“I really enjoy science now, although when I was at school, I didn’t enjoy it as much. It’s when you start to apply it in a practical sense that it actually starts to make more sense and that’s why the Degree Apprenticeship really appealed to me.  I can take the learning and apply it directly to work. I like the hands-on approach and I like to see something work for real.  It makes the theory behind things real.

“I have always wanted to go further in my education and looked at Open University courses but I needed something practical because I’m a ‘see it, do it’ learner and when the opportunity came up to do the Degree Apprenticeship it was the perfect fit for me.  It’s going so well and it’s really helping me at work.

“It’s really improved my ability to analyse data at work and I’m really getting to grips with the science behind it and the official terminology which is used.

“From a personal perspective I hope to move into a management role in the future and the higher level knowledge from this qualification will help me to get my foot in the door. There’s a lot of potential for internal progression at Severn Trent and I hope that this shows I’m as committed to the organisation as they are to me, having invested in my future.”