Posted on 29 January 2025
It may not be common knowledge that we offer apprenticeship programmes, but they’re a vital part of our widening participation offer, opening up access by providing new routes into education.
Within Health Sciences, apprenticeship programs such as Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Registered Nurse and Nursing Associate offer in-depth, practical training alongside professional qualifications.
Our applicants are often mature students, perhaps with caring responsibilities, who have experience of working in primary care but have reached a stage of their career where they need qualifications to achieve their goals. They may not have experience of higher education, or meet the criteria for a more traditional degree course, and they may not be able to fund full time study. By combining paid work with study, our apprenticeships allow them to improve their skills and their career prospects. Some of them continue on to ‘top up’ their initial qualifications to achieve a degree in their area of study.
Current and previous students explaining why the apprenticeship programmes have worked for them focused on the ability to work as they study and the opportunity to progress in their field of work:
"The Nursing Associate Apprenticeship was a fantastic opportunity for me to register as a Nurse without getting into debt. It enabled me to train and study whilst still working.”
“The apprenticeship program has allowed me to fulfill a dream I never thought possible. Having children young meant my career took a back seat as I focused on raising my family. I worked my way up from a Band 2 HCA [Health Care Assistant] to a Senior Band 3 HCA, completing various training courses over the years and learning as many new skills as possible. Unfortunately, there is only so far you can go as an HCA; I felt I needed to learn more to be able to make a difference. When the apprenticeship program offered the opportunity to pursue my Registered Nursing Associate course, I jumped at the chance to progress.”
“I always thought I would love to go to university but felt it was not something available to me until I was made aware of the apprenticeship. Coming to University as a mature student makes me feel more valued.”
In addition to this feedback from individuals, we’re also proud to say that the Nursing Associate programme ranked highly in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2024, within the Nursing (non-specific) category:
We work in partnership with NHS Trusts on the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan to ensure our programmes align with the skills most valued by employers, with the biggest gaps. We also work with private, independent and voluntary organisations (PIVO) from the healthcare sector.
As part of our commitment to the public good, we transfer unspent Apprenticeship Levy to local healthcare providers to enable their staff to access high-quality qualifications. This initiative strengthens our engagement with local partners who align with our mission, strategy and values.
Beyond Health Sciences, the University also offers apprenticeship opportunities for our staff. The Team leader and supervisor programme provides management training for those new to leadership roles. Some of the first cohort have now successfully progressed into managerial positions across the University. Additionally, all staff can apply for the apprenticeship levy to fund training as part of their continuing professional development.