Nurse leaders of the future enroll at Spire Wellesley Hospital
29 October 2021
Spire’s nurse degree apprenticeship scheme is one of the largest in the country
As hundreds of thousands of students across the country begin their higher education studies at universities and colleges, five people have begun a nurse degree apprenticeship at Spire Wellesley Hospital.
The five apprentices are part of a group of 165 apprentices who have been taken on by Spire Healthcare across the country, in one of the largest nurse degree apprenticeship programmes ever launched. The programme is designed to train healthcare leaders of the future, at a time when many nurses have left the profession following the pandemic, and there are skill shortages across all providers of healthcare.
The nurse degree apprenticeship is being run in partnership with the University of Sunderland and combines study and assessments with on-site placements to gain practical knowledge. The apprenticeship lasts between two and five years, depending on the individual’s prior experience, and apprentices gain a BSc degree on completion. Uniquely for a healthcare apprenticeship, training is provided at a national, rather than regional level.
The programme is open to applicants at all stages of life, including school leavers, university graduates and people looking to retrain. Spire Healthcare’s new apprentices range in age between 18 and 58.
Jayme-Lea Newell, a new apprentice at Spire Wellesley said: “I’ve been inspired by the amazing work that everyone in healthcare has done during the pandemic and this made me want to become a nurse myself. I have had a fantastic welcome from everyone here at Spire Wellesley and am really looking forward to getting stuck in with my apprenticeship.
Alison Green, Hospital Director at Spire Wellesley, said: “Here at Spire, we’re determined to play our part in training the clinicians of the future and we don’t know of any other healthcare provider that is investing so heavily in apprentices. We’re really excited that our apprentices have chosen to join us here at Spire Wellesley and I’m sure that they all have a bright future ahead of them.”
With the costs for students who go down the academic route continuing to rise, the appeal of apprenticeships has risen in recent years as an alternative to the traditional university degree route.