Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are an exciting way of bringing new people into the organisation who may not previously have considered a career in the NHS and are a great way of providing education opportunities for existing staff to enable our workforce to grow and meet our future needs.

Apprenticeships:

• provide the opportunity to earn while you learn
• help you achieve nationally recognised qualifications
• follow an approved programme of development supported by a Training Provider
• enable new talent to come into the organisation
• support the development of career pathways and offer real opportunities for progression

The government has set a target to have 3 million new apprentice starts by 2020 and as such the landscape around apprenticeships has changed dramatically in the last few years and continues to develop.  Apprentice standards are now largely role based, which means that you need to be employed in the role for which you are doing the apprenticeship standard.

Apprentices:

• Are aged 16 plus – there is no upper age limit on undertaking an apprenticeship
• Work towards an approved apprenticeship framework or standard and will need to commit to achieving the apprenticeship in the agreed time-frame.
• Are paid in line with the national apprentice minimum wage as new recruits directly into the organisation. Are employed for the duration of the apprenticeship – a minimum of 12 months for a level 2 apprenticeship up to 4 years for a degree level apprenticeship, with the expectation that a substantive post is secured either during or at the end of the apprenticeship.

To undertake an apprenticeship, you either have be:

• Recruited directly into an apprentice post – all our apprenticeships are advertised on NHS Jobs – to search for our current vacancies including apprenticeships click on this link https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/  and enter North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust into the key words or job reference search box

OR

• An existing member of staff moving to a new position or able to demonstrate that you will be learning substantial new skills through the programme in your existing role.

There are a wide range of apprenticeships relevant to NHS staff roles. Listed below are examples of the types of apprenticeships currently being undertaken within the Trust:

• Nursing Associate
• Business Administration
• Customer Service
• Health Care Support Worker
• Leadership and management
• Project Management
• Joinery
• Pharmacy

Meeting our Apprenticeship Public Sector Target

In line with Public Sector Apprenticeship Targets Regulations 2017, we are need to let you know how we are doing in terms of working towards meeting the target to have 2.3% of our workforce as apprenticeships.  We are committed to meeting our identified target and are working towards having the necessary culture, systems and opportunities to enable this to become a reality.

2020/21

Reporting period: 1 April 2020 to March 2021

2019/20

Reporting period: 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020

2018/19

Reporting period: 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019

2017/18

Reporting period: 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

Useful links:

Our apprentice vacancies are also advertised on the governments website:  www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

For further information on all apprenticeships visit:  www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

For information and resources on a wide range of NHS careers visit:  www.healthcareers.nhs.uk

For advice on career pathways into the NHS for 14 – 19 year olds, plus a career mapping quiz and information on Apprenticeships, Work Experience and personal case studies visit: www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk