National Apprenticeship Week is shining a spotlight on the life-changing impact of apprenticeships, including the journey of a De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) nursing apprentice who is turning her ambition of becoming a nurse into reality while supporting children and families at Rainbows Children’s Hospice.
For Emma Dowsett, becoming a nurse wasn’t always something she believed was possible. Today, she is in the third year of a Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship, working at Rainbows Children's Hospice and on track to qualify as a Registered Learning Disability Nurse, the first apprentice in this field of practice at DMU.
"I had always wanted to go into nursing, but I didn’t think it would be something I could do because I had already been to university,” Emma said. “It’s amazing to have that opportunity."
Rainbows Children’s Hospice in Loughborough supports babies, children and young people with serious and life-limiting conditions, providing both respite and palliative care.
Emma says the role can be challenging but is deeply rewarding. "Some days are very hard, but you try to find the bright side. Some children are very poorly and we help them and their families make memories."
One of her favourite parts of the role is supporting children to use the hospice’s specialist hydropool. "The water is heated and supports the body. Some children have never been swimming before and we help them go in with their family or on their own. You can see the real benefit."
Alongside specialist care, the hospice also creates meaningful experiences for families, including visits from therapy animals including regular visits from Pets As Therapy dogs and opportunities for children to enjoy activities they may otherwise never experience.Emma says the apprenticeship has transformed her confidence, skills and understanding of care.
She said: "Before this apprenticeship, I would follow what people said. Now I understand the rationale behind why we do things. It’s helping my professional development, my knowledge and my skills. The programme combines academic study with placements across different care environments, including community settings, respite services and inpatient care, giving apprentices broad experience while learning alongside nursing students.
"It’s been really interesting meeting people in different settings, seeing how things overlap and how different teams work."
Emma’s lecturers say she has excelled throughout the programme, demonstrating strong academic performance, compassion and professionalism in clinical settings.
For Emma, the most important part of the apprenticeship is the impact she can make on the lives of children and families. She said: "Some of the children have spent a lot of time in hospital because of their complex needs. It’s lovely to be able to do fun things with them as well as care for them. You feel like you are making a difference."
Posted on Thursday 12 February 2026