Three aspiring midwives are preparing to take the next step in their careers, after becoming the first ever midwifery apprentices recruited at Humber Health Partnership.
The pioneering apprenticeship programme, developed in partnership with the University of Hull, will see three Midwifery Support Workers begin training towards a Registered Midwifery Degree Apprenticeship this September, while continuing to work within maternity services. The initiative has been made possible through a collaborative effort involving maternity teams, workforce leaders, executive colleagues and university partners.
The new apprentices are Alicia Brake and Kazmia Kara from Hull Royal Infirmary, and Marta Pereira from Scunthorpe General Hospital, who have all worked as Midwifery Support Workers and will now have the opportunity to gain a qualification while earning and progressing into registered midwife roles.
Helen Smith, Maternity Matron for Workforce, Education and Quality Improvement, said: “This is a significant milestone for maternity services across the Humber Health Partnership. The midwifery apprenticeship has been talked about for a long time and it is fantastic to finally see it become a reality.
“It has taken a huge team effort involving colleagues from both trusts, executive teams and the University of Hull. We are incredibly proud to offer this opportunity to our first apprentices and help them develop their careers while strengthening our future workforce.
“By growing our own midwives, we are investing in the future of maternity care and creating new opportunities for talented colleagues who are already making a difference for women and families every day.”
Kazmia said: “I feel incredibly grateful and excited to have been given this opportunity. I started my journey in maternity as a volunteer on the postnatal ward, so to now have the opportunity to progress from Midwifery Assistant to a student midwife feels really special. I’m so passionate about midwifery and supporting women and families, and I genuinely can’t wait to continue learning, developing and taking the next step towards becoming a midwife.”
Alicia said: “If you had told me three years ago I’d be lucky enough to gain a place on this programme, I wouldn’t have believed you. I was introduced to maternity when I was a labour ward cleaner at 18, and from there my passion for midwifery grew. I cannot describe the privilege I feel to be a part of a woman’s care as an MSW, but having the opportunity to earn and learn as an apprentice midwife is a position I never imagined myself in. The RMDA is an excellent opportunity for the Humber region as it gives people another channel into this career, and allows career progression beyond the Band 3 MSW role. I am so excited to begin this next chapter of my career in September, and I’m honoured to be able to call this my career.”
Marta added: “I feel honoured and privileged to have been selected for the Midwifery Apprenticeship. This opportunity reflects the hard work and dedication I have shown in my role as a Midwifery Support Worker, and I look forward to taking the next step in my career.”
Zach North, Director of Apprenticeships and Senior Lecturer at the University of Hull, said: “The development of the Registered Midwifery Degree Apprenticeship has been a genuinely collaborative process with the Humber Health Partnership. We are proud to support the next generation of midwives and the future of maternity care across our region.”
The apprentices will begin their studies in September, creating a new pathway into the profession while helping to secure a sustainable workforce for maternity services across the Humber region.