Have you ever considered a job that allows you to gain a recognised qualification as well as earning a salary? NHS Lothian offers a number of modern apprenticeships every year that will allow you to do just that. Modern apprenticeships (MA) are nationally recognised, accredited programmes of learning delivering the skills and knowledge you may need as well as setting you on a pathway of development and future career progression.
In supporting Skills Development Scotland’s Scottish Apprentice Week 2017 (6-10 March), NHS Lothian is amongst many organisations promoting the message that apprenticeships are an important part of staff recruitment and development as well as existing in areas of work you may not have considered before.
Janis Butler, Interim Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, NHS Lothian, said: “Modern apprenticeships help employers to develop their workforce by training new staff and developing new skills in their existing employees.
“It can be a great starting point for a career in healthcare or an opportunity to support a change in career for an existing member of staff. Modern apprenticeships provide a fantastic opportunity to work towards an industry recognized qualification and develop a range of new skills. It also rewards you with a salary at the same time.”
She added: “In the past, the term apprentice was usually linked to trades such as joiner or electrician; however this is not the case anymore. There are many exciting and varied careers within NHS Lothian that could hold apprenticeship opportunities.
“With more than 37,000 young people working, learning and earning as Modern Apprentices in Scotland, NHS Lothian is creating new opportunities for both non clinical and clinical service areas in modern apprenticeships for the future.”
In the next few months staff in catering, domestic services, recruitment, finance and clinical healthcare support roles will be embarking on Modern Apprenticeships opportunities.
NHS Lothian is proud to highlight some of its employees whose development and future career opportunity is being supported through a Modern Apprenticeship Framework.
Philip- Maintenance engineer
Philip Brown is currently working as a maintenance engineer at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Morningside.
Philip went straight from school into college to do a HNC in engineering systems. Philip was looking for a course that not only gave him the academic side of engineering but also the practical experience. The data training programme was recommended to Philip as it would allow him to combine his academic work with on the job training.
In the first year the course saw Philip spending five days a week in college; this gave Philip the opportunity to gain the knowledge he needed to allow him to work on real engineering jobs in his second year.
With a workplace mentor (one of the main engineers on site) supporting his learning within his role, Philip feels that learning in college alongside practical application within employment with NHS Lothian, Philip has been able to see directly the impact in practice and start to see where future progression may be.
View Philip’s story at www.vimeo.com/165275361
Caitlin – Haematology Lab Assistant
Caitlin McColl is an apprentice within HealthCare Science. She applied to be an apprentice with NHSL after leaving school to work as a healthcare support worker in a nursing home.
Caitlin knew she wanted to work in healthcare but did not know what area and having worked as a clinical support worker she still felt unable to decide what direction to take her career in.
After seeing an advert for an apprenticeship with NHSL she applied for a 2 year apprenticeship and was successful in joining the Haematology Labs. Caitlin felt this would allow her to experience a different area of healthcare whilst gaining a recognised qualification that would further support her future career opportunity and learning.
Caitlin enjoys the new challenge she has experienced by engaging in this type of learning where she is learning every day supported by a training provider and a local workplace mentor.
Caitlin feels it is a great way to progress your development and from her success she is now ambitious to continue on a career pathway after her apprenticeship to become a qualified biomedical scientist.
We want the right people to deliver excellent healthcare with us in all its component parts. We recruit passionate people who care about what they do – could this be you?
For more information on our modern apprenticeship opportunities and current vacancies visit careers website.
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