Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship is a real job with training which allows an employee to earn while they learn, gaining valuable skills and knowledge in a specific job role, while gaining a nationally recognised qualification. The apprentice gains this through a wide mix of learning in the workplace, formal off-the-job training and the opportunity to practise new skills in a real work environment.
Apprenticeships take between one and five years to complete and are available in 1,500 occupations across 170 industries. An apprenticeship combines practical skills with theoretical knowledge.
Apprentices must spend at least 20% of their hours ‘off-the-job’ training, which is training received by the apprentice during their normal working hours. This can be a combination of learning and undertaking new skills in the workplace, or might be attending study days.
The Trust currently offers a variety of apprenticeships in clinical and non-clinical areas at different levels in the Trust:
Clinical
- Nursing—healthcare support worker, assistant practitioner, healthcare scientist, nursing associate, degree nurse apprentices, advanced clinical practitioner
- Midwifery
- Allied health professionals (AHPs)—physiotherapy, occupational therapy
- Pharmacy—pharmacy technician, health pharmacy services
- Medical engineering
- Radiography/mammography
Non-clinical
- Business administration/management
- Human resources
- Customer service
- Project management
- Finance, accounting, procurement and supplies
- Data analyst
- Leadership—team leader, operations/departmental manager, senior leadership
Benefits of applying for an apprenticeship
- Increased value and earning potential
- Career progression
- Develops transferable skills
- Gain a recognised qualification or achievement of an apprenticeship standard
- Gain job-specific skills to support you in your role
- Given time to study
- Apprentices learn on the job whilst also earning a wage
- Improves productivity
Entry requirements
Apprenticeships are available to anyone who:
- is over the age of 16 and living in England
- will spend at least 50% of their working hours in England over the duration of their apprenticeship
- is not already in full-time education
However, there are different entry requirements for each course which depend on the industry, job role and apprenticeship level.
Apprenticeship levels
There are various levels of apprenticeships our employees could apply for depending on their current skills and qualifications. Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels:
| Name | Level | Equivalent education level |
|---|---|---|
| Intermediate | 2 | 5 GCSE passes at Grade A* to C or 9–4 |
| Advanced | 3 | 2 A-level passes/Level 3 diploma/international baccalaureate |
| Higher | 4, 5, 6 & 7 | Foundation degree and above |
| Degree | 6 & 7 | Bachelor's or master's degree |
All apprenticeships will include elements of on-the-job and off-the-job training, leading to industry recognized standards or qualifications. Some apprenticeships will require an assessment at the end of the programme to assess the apprentices’ ability and competency in their job role.
Hear from some of our apprentices
“This opportunity was very rare and I felt very grateful to be given an alternative to going to university. I feel this has enhanced my confidence, as it gave me first-hand experience working in a real working environment and helped me explore the variety of opportunities NHS provides to work your way up. The University gave me the appropriate knowledge and skills to comply with the NHS standards.”
—Naila, who completed the Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Level 5
“I thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship journey. I learnt a lot of interesting information which I could then apply to my current role, helping my personal development overall. I am also now able to add this qualification to my CV, improving my résumé which will ultimately help my chances when applying for future posts.”
—Esther, who completed the Business Administration Level 3
Contact information and resources
If you have any queries, please contact chelwest.apprenticeships@nhs.net. To find out further information regarding apprenticeships schemes, please see the following resources:
- Amazing Apprenticeships
- Apprenticeships government website
- Become an apprentice
- Public Sector Apprenticeship Target 2021-22
Library services
We have a library on each of the two main sites offering access to many educational resources (electronic and written) to support all staff and students in their development.
At Chelsea and Westminster our library is part of Imperial College London’s library service which provides a range of library services to staff members.
Our library at West Middlesex Hospital is dedicated to the memory of Patricia Bowen who served at the hospital as the first professional medical librarian. The Patricia Bowen Library and Knowledge Service supports the education, lifelong learning, training research and clinical support.