Chief AHP's blog

Date of release: 28 February 2024

Spotlight on Apprenticeships

By Dr Ros Leslie

This month we celebrated the 17th annual celebration of apprenticeships for National Apprenticeships Week.

Apprenticeships are a great way to earn while you learn, allowing you to continue working while gaining the skills, knowledge and qualifications needed to progress your career.

They are also effective in addressing patterns of under-representation in higher education and ensuring the diversity profile of the current workforce is representative of the local population.

This blog features Parveen Kumar, Apprenticeships and Workforce Development Manager, and Rianna Millington, AHP Programme Lead – Apprenticeships (secondment).

They reflect on how apprenticeships are supporting our AHP workforce to develop the knowledge and skills required for a rewarding career and are helping us to grow a talented AHP workforce.

Apprenticeship standards define the minimum requirements for the inclusion of an apprenticeship programme, and these are in place for the 14 allied health professions. Funding for apprenticeships is accessible via the Apprenticeship Levy.

The apprenticeship uptake at the Trust has increased considerably since the introduction of the Levy in 2017.

We have been supporting entry routes to careers via apprenticeships at intermediate and advanced Levels 2 to 4.

Alongside this there has been an upward trend to obtain professional registration or accreditation through Level 6 Degree and Level 7 Master Level apprenticeships.

Parveen has seen a growing desire among our managers to develop the existing workforce, in addition to the ‘growing our own’ talent pipeline.

We have been successful in supporting the AHP specialities to up-skill and expand the workforce by securing NHS England funding which has been re-invested back into the service.

For example, the Radiography workforce has grown rapidly through the recruitment of two groups of Level 6 Apprentice Diagnostic Radiographers.

In addition, our Speech and Language Therapy, Therapeutic Radiography, Dietetics, Podiatry, Operating Department Practitioner, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy apprenticeships result in professional body registration.

This supports the creation of a sustainable workforce fit for the future healthcare needs of our local community.

Rianna, working alongside the Black Country AHP Apprenticeships Task and Finish Group, has developed an AHPs apprenticeships handbook on behalf of the Black Country AHP and Nursing Faculty.

This contains information about apprenticeships across the UK, providing potential apprentices, service leads, and apprenticeship leads with the knowledge needed for career growth.

Rianna said: “The advancement of apprenticeships in healthcare professions across the nation is essential for shaping our future workforce.

“The initiative to develop a handbook for AHPs in the Black Country was sparked by conversations within the system Task and Finish Group, underlining the need for guidance and support for prospective apprentices to navigate their career paths.

“Efforts are ongoing to raise awareness throughout the Black Country about the opportunities apprenticeships present – which are endless!”

If you are interested in becoming an apprentice, please contact our Apprenticeship Team via email at rwh-trwblapprenticeships@nhs.net