Are you interested in a career in nursing?
If so, come along to our nursing apprenticeship open event on Wednesday 11 February. It’s an opportunity for prospective apprentices and their families to learn more about nursing careers available via apprenticeship pathways at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital.
The event will highlight the full apprenticeship journey, from healthcare support roles through to the registered nurse degree apprenticeship, with input from current apprentices, programme leads and clinical teams who lead on apprenticeships at the Trust.
It takes place during National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from 9-15 February, and is one of a number of things happening across NHS Humber Health Partnership.
Registered Nurse Leanne Cross, who has recently graduated from a third-year nurse degree apprenticeship, has shared her story to encourage others to sign up.
She said: My journey into nursing started back in 2019 when my partner had suffered suddenly with a very rare condition, which resulted in him been admitted onto Ward 11 at Hull Royal Infirmary. During his five weeks on there, I took care of all his personal cares. This inspired me to want to become a nurse, but I thought I would never be able to get there with me having no qualifications. On the ward, I was inspired by a student who was studying a level 3 healthcare apprenticeship. I asked her how she applied for the job. She told me the website and said I needed my maths and English to apply.
“After some time when my partner got a lot better, I started to study maths and English once a week for a year until I passed. I applied for the healthcare apprenticeship in October 2019 at the age of 35 and I got the job. I was over the moon to begin my nursing journey. I spent 18 months on cardiology and one day a week at Hull College. I passed my exam and end point assessment, and I was awarded runner-up for the Best Healthcare Apprentice of 2023. I then enrolled onto the Registered Nurse Degree Apprentice Programme. I’m now currently in my third year of studying and will be a qualified registered nurse next year. The apprenticeship route suited me well, as I found it to be a more hands-on job gaining more experience. With me having a base ward, being a mum and having a house to run, having a learning programme which paid every month was a massive help.
“I chose to work for the Trust as they offer great opportunities for career progression. My ambition after qualifying and gaining some nursing experience is to become a specialist nurse in the future. I inspired my daughter into the same path when she left sixth form. She has finished her healthcare apprenticeship and is now in her first year at Hull University, studying her adult nursing apprenticeship. We both work for the same Trust, which is very lovely.”
You can find out more about our nursing apprenticeships online.
Widening Participation teams from both HUTH and NLaG will also be on hand at the event to answer questions about career engagement opportunities across NHS Humber Health Partnership.
So pop along between 4pm and 7pm to the Learning and Innovation Centre, Entrance 3, Castle Hill Hospital, Cottingham (HU16 5JQ).
Lucy Vere, Director of Learning and Organisational Development, said: “We had a fantastic turnout last year for our event and we’re hoping to see similar numbers this year. Apprenticeships are a great way of bringing new people into the NHS and also a way of developing our existing workforce.
“It’s important to remember that although apprenticeships are a great way for school leavers to start their careers, we have opportunities available across our sites for both new and existing colleagues. “Many of those starting out as apprentices are still with us, having gained qualifications, secured permanent roles or promotions, and in many cases, they are now carving out careers for themselves within their chosen department or clinical speciality.”