Progressing into a Professional-grade Role
Yan Yan Ng, known to colleagues as Yang, joined University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) with a clear goal in mind: to progress into a professional-grade role within NHS pharmacy manufacturing while continuing to learn and develop her skills.
Originally from Hong Kong, Yang moved to the UK three years ago, bringing with her experience working in a hospital pharmacy environment. While her previous role was not at a professional grade, it gave her valuable exposure to healthcare settings and reinforced her ambition to build a long-term career within pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UK.
After joining UHB, Yang began working as a Specialist Assistant Technical Officer in the Aseptic Unit, an environment where compliance, precision, and patient safety are critical. With two years of experience already under her belt, the apprenticeship offered an opportunity to formalise her knowledge, strengthen her understanding of best practice, and support her progression into a professional role.
Learning the “Why” Behind the Work
Yang enrolled on the Level 3 Science Manufacturing Technician apprenticeship in August and is currently in the early stages of the programme. While still relatively new to the course, she has already seen the value it brings to her day-to-day work.
She recently completed live teaching sessions on aseptic preparation and calculations, an area she initially found challenging. However, with the support of her Skills4Pharmacy tutor, Kirsty, Yang quickly gained confidence. Kirsty’s willingness to spend additional time explaining complex topics, even after sessions had finished, made a significant difference not only to Yang but to her classmates as well.
What Yang values most about the apprenticeship is how it reinforces learning that can sometimes be overlooked in a busy workplace. “You may know how to do things while you’re working,” she explains, “but the course reminds you why it’s important, why we follow Standard Operating Procedures, why documentation matters, and why Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) underpins everything we do.”
The programme encourages repeated reflection, prompting learners to revisit key concepts multiple times. This approach, Yang says, helps embed good practice and ensures that procedures are followed with understanding rather than routine.
Shared Learning and Supportive Environments
As part of a small cohort of seven to eight learners from across the UK, Yang has benefited from hearing about how other aseptic units operate. While she prefers to listen rather than speak during group discussions, she values the openness of her peers, who regularly share experiences from both licensed and unlicensed units.
These discussions have highlighted differences in practice across organisations and reinforced the importance of working within a licensed aseptic environment like UHB’s. “You think everyone works the same way,” Yang reflects, “but actually, they don’t, and it really opens your eyes.”
Balancing full-time work with study has been manageable, thanks to a well-paced programme structure and strong workplace support. Assignments are spaced out with clear deadlines, allowing Yang to manage her time effectively alongside family life and work commitments.
Growing Confidence and Professional Identity
Although still early in her apprenticeship journey, Yang has already noticed a boost in her confidence, particularly around GMP. Where GMP was once a term she recognised, she now understands its purpose and importance, and can confidently explain to others why strict standards must be followed.
Being surrounded by colleagues at different stages of the apprenticeship has also been a huge benefit. Hearing about End Point Assessments, now called Apprenticeship Assessments, and professional discussions has encouraged Yang to focus not just on completing assignments, but on truly understanding the knowledge behind her role.
Looking ahead, Yang sees the apprenticeship as a valuable stepping stone. The opportunity to gain an industry-recognised qualification and register as a Science Manufacturing Technician with the Science Council makes the programme, in her words, “really worth it”.
“If you can learn while you’re working, gain deeper knowledge, and help your colleagues too,” she says, “why not do it?”