Apprenticeships offer a route into many of the 350 NHS careers and there are opportunities at different levels, meaning no matter your current situation there’s a place for you, people in North East and Yorkshire are reminded.
Healthcare support workers, digital apprenticeships, estates and administration roles are among the opportunities for people looking to kickstart their careers, says Victoria Bagshaw, Deputy Director of Workforce and Education for NHS North East and Yorkshire.
Victoria’s call to find out more about a career in the NHS comes during National Apprenticeship Week.
“Apprenticeships are not just for people joining the NHS,” Victoria said. “They allow us to develop our staff, leading to careers in registered professions such as nursing and the allied health professions as well as leadership roles.
“Whatever apprenticeship you choose, you’ll make a big difference to patient care from day one and be sure of a rewarding career.”
Apprenticeships are a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning, meaning you can earn while you learn. Apprentices usually spend four days on a work placement and one day at a training centre or college. They can take between one and five years to complete. Many NHS apprentices are also offered a permanent job at the end of their learning.
An apprenticeship can also be a first step into a career in nursing, midwifery or an allied health profession. Whatever you choose, you’re guaranteed to make a real difference to people’s lives.
NHS figures show more than 27,000 people started an NHS apprenticeship in England in 2024/25, with more than 4,700 starting an apprenticeship in the North East and Yorkshire.
Having previously achieved a BSc degree in Psychology, Katie Ward joined the Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician (PTPT) apprenticeship to become a pharmacy technician at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The course combines work-based training in community pharmacies, GP practices, or hospital settings, with academic study.
“The role requires you to be non-judgmental and empathetic as well as being adaptable in your work,” Katie said. “A good piece of advice I would give would be to shadow qualified technicians in different areas to see the scope of what the role involves and what opportunities there are out there. This is a good way to see if the career is right for you.”
Rebecca Wilkinson is also a Pre-Registration Pharmacy Technician at South Tees Hospitals NHS. While working in a hospital pharmacy, Rebecca found out she could study and train to become a Pharmacy Technician through an apprenticeship.
“Pharmacy Technicians have to have a wide range of skills and knowledge and this course, alongside knowledgeable colleagues, allows students like me to get into this job role,” Rebecca said. “I have had excellent advice, tutoring and help from Pharmacy Technicians where I work, in a variety of roles and am looking forward to joining the profession when I qualify.”
National Apprenticeship Week is the biggest week in the apprenticeships and skills calendar. Running until Sunday 15 February, the week brings together everyone passionate about apprenticeships and skills to celebrate the value, benefit and opportunity that they bring.