Apprenticeships

You can start an apprenticeship with us whether you’re starting your career, want a career change or you’re upskilling in your current job at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. You can have a previous qualification like a degree and still start an apprenticeship.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust endeavours to provide development opportunities for those looking to develop a career in the NHS, in both clinical and non-clinical roles.

Through apprenticeship programmes, individuals can earn a salary, develop their skills, and achieve a nationally recognised qualification, all whilst contributing towards delivering excellent patient care. You can use apprenticeships to develop leadership and management expertise too.

• Depending on your situation, the programme you are applying to study, and the needs of your service and team, you may stay in an existing role under your current terms and conditions, or you could potentially move into a new role.
• All educational fees are paid for in entirety by the trust, from the apprenticeship levy.
• A minimum of 20% of your weekly working time would be spent in off-the-job learning during the programme (for example, attending tutorials, writing assignments and other similar activities).
• Functional skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT are required (includes some teaching and an exam). If you don’t possess these functional skills you will need to gain them alongside your apprenticeship to complete the course.

If you are an internal member of staff and would like to understand more about apprenticeships in our trust please visit the Somerset FT Apprenticeships page by clicking Apprenticeships which will take you to our internal intranet page.

Not all apprenticeships are available to external candidates. To help you find the career progression pathway which suits you best you can click on Occupational Maps: Skills England.

We would also advise exploring and applying for general roles within the trust which will intern expose you to apprenticeship opportunities.

An example of this would be our nursing pathway. You could join the trust as a….

Healthcare Support Worker (Non Apprenticeship)

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Progress onto the

Student Nurse Associate Apprenticeship

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Progress onto the

Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

Also keep an eye on our recruitment job page to apply for both general and apprenticeship vacancies which aligns with your career goals.

The Healthcare Apprenticeship Standards Online (HASO) section of the Skills for Health website contains information about apprenticeships and career pathways. Below are some links to popular NHS pathways.

• Healthcare Science
• Nursing

The Occupational Maps: Skills England show the relationships that exist between education, qualifications, apprenticeships and occupations in England.