Laura Evans has been a dedicated member of the NHS for nearly a decade, currently making a significant impact as an Automation and Process Improvement Analyst at Aneurin Bevan Health Board. Recently, Laura took a pivotal step in her professional development by enrolling in the Project Management Level 4 Apprenticeship with Educ8 Training, a decision designed to deepen her expertise and enhance the vital work she does every day.
From finance to project management in healthcare
Laura’s career within the NHS began in 2016, where she worked her way up through various finance roles before transitioning into her current position over three years ago. Her role uniquely blends automation with project management, managing bots that handle routine manual tasks and leads new automation projects from inception through to completion.
‘About 60% of my role is project management,’ Laura explains. ‘I help and guide subject matter experts through projects from beginning to end, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently.’
Her finance background has been essential to understanding the data and financial context behind projects, allowing her to bring a well-rounded perspective to the automation and improvement initiatives.
Why Laura chose an apprenticeship with us
Despite her experience, Laura recognised a gap in her formal project management qualifications, something that was becoming increasingly important given the growing demand for project management skills within finance roles.
‘I’ve always been involved in project work, even if it wasn’t my primary role,’ Laura shares. ‘There’s a clear skills gap in project management for finance professionals, and this apprenticeship ticks all the boxes for me. It’s relevant, accessible, and funded, which made it an ideal opportunity.’
Laura also values that the apprenticeship allows her to gain new skills while continuing to work in her current role, a key factor for those balancing busy professional and personal lives.
Learning tailored to real needs
Laura’s apprenticeship experience is carefully tailored to support her individual needs. As someone with dyslexia, she appreciates the understanding and flexibility of her Educ8 Training trainer coach, Kevin O’Brien, who adapts assessments to make the learning process as effective and comfortable as possible.
Kevin’s support, combined with our flexible structure, has allowed Laura to balance her study commitments alongside her demanding role.
‘It’s helping me get my mind back into that learning frame of mind and structure,’ Laura says. ‘Just updating my CV as part of the course was something I hadn’t done in 15 years, it’s already helping me think differently about my career and skills.’
Driving productivity and business impact
Since starting the apprenticeship, Laura has noticed a positive shift in how she manages her workload and time. Hybrid working arrangements and dedicated study time have improved her productivity.
With the apprenticeship reinforcing her project management skills, Laura is better equipped to lead automation projects that streamline processes, reduce manual workloads, and ultimately support better healthcare delivery.
Building stronger professionals and organisations
Laura’s journey highlights how apprenticeships aren’t just about gaining qualifications, they are about making professionals stronger in their current roles and empowering them to drive meaningful change within their organisations.
At Educ8 Training, we’re proud to support dedicated professionals like Laura, who are investing in themselves to improve not only their own careers but also the wider business and community they serve.
For more information on our Project Management apprenticeship, click here Project Management – Educ8
