Apprentices

A community health trust is celebrating the success of its apprenticeships programme, after welcoming its largest ever number of new recruits.

Over the last 12 months, Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust (NCH&C) has successfully recruited 57 apprentices, who have taken up posts in areas such as HR, IT, patient referral, and nursing.

This super-sized intake, more than double the previous year’s, and three times that of the year before, has been made possible thanks to increased funding from Health Education East of England, in response to a government campaign to increase apprenticeships nationally.

Apprenticeships at NCH&C are open to anyone of any age, as long as they have four GCSEs, or equivalent, at grade D or above, and/or experience. Each apprentice is able to gain practical experience and study for nationally recognised qualifications, all while earning a wage.

Liz Cooke, Head of HR at NCH&C said: “We are delighted to have taken on such a fantastic number, after working to build up the programme over several years.

“We see an apprenticeship as a career route into NCH&C, learning the skills, values and culture of our Trust, as well as promoting personal development. We are taking the time to develop and train individuals who will be the future of the Trust workforce.

“Our apprentices are well-supported, and can develop their theoretical and practical knowledge, which they are able to apply on a daily basis. At the same time, they are able to gain qualifications which are relevant to their role.

“The fact that we have been able to retain over 60 per cent of our apprentices in permanent roles is something we’re really proud of.”

NCH&C is aiming to repeat this year’s success and has set itself the target of recruiting 60 new apprentices in the forthcoming financial year, beginning in April.

A team from the Trust’s HR department will be available to discuss the NCH&C apprenticeships programme at Norwich Jobcentre, Kiln House, Pottergate, on Tuesday, March 10, from 10am-2pm, and at the Skills East of England event at the Norfolk Showground on March 11 and 12.

Vacancies can also be found on the NHS Jobs website: www.jobs.nhs.uk or at www.apprenticeships.org.uk

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