Occupational Therapy (Apprenticeship)

Welcome Week

​​As you take your first steps towards becoming an Occupational Therapist, it is natural to feel both excited and nervous — and we will be here to support you every step of the way. From the moment you join us, you will be part of a supportive learning community, with a personal tutor to guide you throughout your course. Welcome Week is the perfect opportunity to meet them, get to know your cohort, and begin your journey as part of the CCCU community.

​During Welcome Week, you will meet the teaching team, explore the campus, and discover the wide range of support available to you, including IT, library services, wellbeing, and occupational health. You will also learn more about the course and the profession, while building connections with the people who will support and inspire you throughout your apprenticeship journey.

Occupational Health, DBS & Placement Preparation

Please ensure that you engage with all Occupational Health, DBS or Placement planning activities required by the Admissions Team. Failure to complete this by the time you register on the course may result in you not being able to proceed with your studies.

We are proud to be an inclusive University that supports a diverse community of students. Please note that if you have a disability or would like to learn more about the support that we can offer to students, please visit the Disability and Mental Health website.

Placement Information

InPlace

Once your first placement has been allocated, you will automatically receive an email with instructions on how to sign in to InPlace and access your placement information.

Occupational Health

You will need to complete Occupational Health Clearance via your employer. If you have any questions, please contact your employer directly

Uniform

On placement, you will be required to wear a uniform as part of your Readiness for Practice. Important information regarding your uniform can be found on the uniform policy.

Your uniform is provided to you free of charge and is expected to last you the duration of your course.

You do not need to order your placement uniform before you start your course.

Uniform ordering is staggered by course. This means that students on different courses will be invited to order their uniform at different times. If you hear that students on another course have already been invited, please don't worry – you will be contacted when it is your course's turn.

The Placement Management Team will email you with instructions on how to order your uniform in plenty of time before your first placement.

These instructions will be sent to your CCCU email account. Towards the end of August, once you have been invited to register for your course, we will email you with information on how to set up your CCCU email account.

Please note that you will not be able to order your uniform until you have completed all of your registration tasks.

Placement Badge

On placement you will be required to wear a placement badge, which will have your course title and preferred first name obtained from your MyRecord account. This placement badge is provided to you free of charge. You will be supplied with your placement badge once you have started your course. Please note, this is not your student ID card. 

​​One of the most important parts of preparing for the course is making sure you have the right support in place. Alongside the support of the Occupational Therapy teaching team and the wider CCCU community, we encourage you to identify your workplace mentor early so you can begin building your professional support network with confidence.

​In your first semester, you will be introduced to professional standards, reflective practice, and the academic and professional skills needed for success at university and in practice.

The Becoming an Apprentice module is designed to support your transition from employee to Degree-Level Occupational Therapy Apprentice, helping you develop confidence, resilience, and effective study skills as you begin your learning journey.

​Your first-year modules are:

​Becoming an Apprentice
An introduction to higher education learning, professional identity, reflective practice, and the skills needed to succeed as an apprentice learner.

​Humans as Occupational Beings
This module introduces the core theories and concepts that underpin Occupational Therapy practice and explores how occupation influences health and wellbeing.

​Assessment of the Occupational Being
You will learn how to undertake and record thorough, sensitive, and person-centred assessments while developing awareness of professional boundaries, resilience, and self-care.

​Practice Placement 1
Your first placement will last 7 weeks and will provide the opportunity to work alongside an Occupational Therapist or Practice Educator, applying your learning in practice and developing your professional skills.

​We recognise that everyone learns differently, which is why the course uses a blended learning approach. You can expect a combination of online learning, in-person seminars, workshops, discussions, guided study, and reflective activities designed to develop both your academic confidence and professional skills.

Throughout the course, we will encourage you to question assumptions, think critically, and explore the diverse experiences of the people and communities Occupational Therapists support.

​You will typically study for two days per week and will have access to Blackboard, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, where you can find learning materials, resources, and support services to help you throughout your studies.

​​Before you arrive, you may find it helpful to review the course structure via the course page. The are also many resources available through the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the Health and Care Professions Council websites.

​If you would like some introductory reading, you may find the following helpful:

​Introduction to Occupational Therapy (2021), Jane Clifford O’Brien

​The Reflective Journal (2024), Barbara Bassat

​Dancza, K. (2018) Implementing occupation-centred practice : a practical guide for occupational therapy practice learning. London : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group