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Case Study: Apprenticeships
Put simply, Talent for Care is helping people get in, get on and go further in their NHS careers. We focus on diversity, inclusion and widening participation from disadvantaged or underrepresented groups, and we support employers with their workforce supply through apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are a way for new starters in the NHS and for existing members of staff, to learn on the job, to gain a qualification and apply their learning while continuing to earn a salary.
Jane Hadfield, National Lead for Talent for Care and Senior Programme Manager – Apprenticeships
Summary
Our Talent for Care team is instrumental in supporting apprenticeships to both employers, and those wishing to join the NHS workforce or develop their long-term career.
From 0 to 97.
HEE has been mandated to contribute to the development of apprenticeship standards in health., We currently support work to ensure a wide range of apprenticeship standards from levels 2 to 7 available for employers to use. To date, we have supported the development of 97 standards in health and science, and those in other routes and disciplines such as business, people services, estates and engineering care, education.
There is now an apprenticeship route available to all the 350 careers in the NHS.
The apprenticeship team supports employers in implementing apprenticeships. Fundamentally this means more choice for employers and the potential to increase a home-grown future workforce supply which also manages to reduce health inequalities by widening access and participation in apprenticeships from underrepresented groups.
While apprenticeships are employer-led, it is our role at HEE to support the development and implementation of apprenticeship reforms. By maximising the apprenticeship levy spend, we are supporting our future workforce.
Impact
Apprenticeship standards for healthcare employers
HEE works with colleagues at the Institute for Apprenticeships, as well as Skills for Health and Employer Groups (Trailblazers) in developing apprenticeship standards to make sure there are a wide range of apprenticeships of different levels available for NHS employers and employees to benefit from.
From 2016 to the end of 2021, the NHS has achieved over 114,175 cumulative apprenticeship starts. We are above the national average for representation of those from a BAME background.
By supporting quality and enabling the development of sustainable apprenticeship strategies, we are ensuring we can deliver at a national scale, while also making sure they are fit for regional implementation. We are also playing a very important part in developing the NHS workforce of the future.
Employer Support
We have developed comprehensive resources for employers’ apprenticeships, covering a range of topics from procurement to organisational strategy and planning, and assisting employers with implementing apprenticeships in their organisation.
HEE has commissioned Skills for Health to develop Healthcare Apprenticeship Standards Online (HASO).
HASO is the best place to navigate apprenticeships and technical education in the health sector. It includes guidance, case studies and best practice examples, to help health sector managers in England find a wide range of apprenticeships to train staff in clinical and non-clinical roles.
Apprenticeships for All
Recent data analysis which illustrated people with disabilities are underrepresented in comparison to the UK working age population and apprentices in other sectors. So, this year we are particularly focussing on working to increase both the number and proportion of individuals with disabilities or impairments accessing NHS apprenticeships. One strand of this work includes a new programme, commissioned by HEE and delivered by NHS Employers, entitled Apprenticeships for All, which is now underway in 20 organisations.
Apprenticeship Diversity Champions’ Network
HEE is a member of the Apprenticeship Diversity Champions’ Network. The network champions apprenticeships and diversity amongst employers. It encourages more people from underrepresented groups, including those with disabilities or impairments, women and members of the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to consider apprenticeships.
Future direction
Our role is to support employers in the development, implementation, quality delivery, and sustainability of apprenticeships.
Our particular focus is on developing and implementing apprenticeships and opening up new talent pipelines, with opportunities to promote inclusion and widen participation.
By ensuring the full potential of the technical education reforms are enabled we support widening access and participation, a wider workforce supply, and we are supporting the levelling up agenda.
We work in real time to ensure employer needs and experience are articulated, and we continue to be an influencer at policy level.
This agenda supports transformation by positioning the campaign at the heart of developing the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan nationally, enabling ICBs to plan and deliver apprenticeship strategies that support their local workforce needs, and allow local innovation.
Through developing valued partnerships across the health, care and education sectors we work to ensure that Apprenticeships meet the needs of the NHS and play into workforce plans at every level.