Apprenticeships
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships allow you to combine work and study by mixing ‘on-the-job’ training with ‘off-the-job’ learning. So you'll be employed to do a real job while studying for a formal qualification. By the end of your apprenticeship, you'll have gained the skills and knowledge needed to either succeed in your chosen career or progress onto the next apprenticeship level. What you'll learn depends on the role that you're training for. However, apprentices in every role follow an approved study programme, which means you'll gain a nationally recognised qualification at the end of your apprenticeship, which is of the exact same standard as a traditional college or university qualification.
What are the benefits of being an apprentice with the NHS?
- You earn while you learn
- Earning a competitive apprenticeship salary - that will never start below national living wage and increases depending on the level of the apprenticeship
- Fantastic career development opportunities
- Dedicated, passionate and highly experienced mentors
- You get to experience new and different challenges
- Your existing skills and knowledge are recognised and can help you gain a qualification faster
- You learn at your own pace and get lots of support
- Better job security and setting up a career for life
- You gain skills, knowledge and behaviours that can be used across a range of jobs and industries
- Being part of an organisation which helps people
- Working with the biggest employer in the UK and Europe, and fifth biggest employer in the world
- Unlocking so many career and educational opportunities
- Great pension scheme
- NHS and student discounts
- A generous annual leave entitlement
- Working for an organisation who actively cares about your Health and Wellbeing
- Loads of staff benefits (car schemes, child care vouchers, sick pay, good maternity/paternity leave allowance)
- And many more…
Entry requirements
Different apprenticeships have different entry requirements. However the requirements for every apprenticeship are that:
- You must be aged 16 or over (no maximum age!)
- You must be living in England
- You do not hold a higher qualification in the same subject than the apprenticeship that you are applying for.
Specific entry requirements are included on the apprenticeship advert and person specification once it is uploaded to NHS and Trac jobs.
For further information on apprenticeship opportunities, please contact dhc.apprenticeships@nhs.net or watch the video below:
Apprenticeships for new staff
Dorset HealthCare’s new apprentice recruits programme offers a fixed-term contract with training and assessment provided by locally based, established training providers, as well as a dedicated and experienced work-based mentor, and on-the-job training.
We offer a range of apprenticeships in both clinical and non-clinical areas.
An apprenticeship opens the door to a career with Dorset HealthCare, and offers many benefits including a nationally recognised qualification, hands-on experience, transferable skills, regular study time, paid annual leave – and the opportunity to earn while you learn
We're looking for enthusiastic and committed people who want to be part of our team.
For further information please contact dhc.apprenticeships@nhs.net
Apprenticeships for existing staff
Dorset HealthCare offers a range of apprenticeships to existing staff, in both clinical and non-clinical areas.
For further information please contact visit the Apprenticeship pages on our internal DORIS intranet site.
We have a public sector target for apprenticeships, which is 2.3% of our workforce.
As of February 2022, we have 270 staff on apprenticeships meaning we are over achieving our public sector target.
We continue to consider how an apprentice can benefit our workforce and add value to the skill mix and to ensure a diverse, skilled, flexible workforce.