Routes into the NHS

These are pre-employment programmes usually aimed at specific groups, for example, 16-24-year-olds not in education, employment or training, young offenders, or young carers.

While the criteria for the schemes may differ, they usually include an element of training and work experience to help people develop their employability skills. Usually lasting between four and 13 weeks, the programmes give an insight into working life and provide skills such as interview techniques and CV writing.

The programmes can be used to support people to move into initial entry-level posts and provide a progression pathway into level two qualifications and sustainable employment.

This can be an ideal route for those not sure what they want to do, or which sector they want to work in, as it allows them to gain some experience of what it is like to be in a work setting.

The length of the work experience can vary from tasters lasting just half a day through to one or two weeks, or even delivered a couple of days a week over a few months. The key is to find what works for you and those taking part.

While the programme can include observation and work shadowing, it should give some direct experience of the work the role involves. A good quality work experience placement should be well organised, purposeful, have a clear role, and be reviewed.

Those taking part will need to be supervised which can provide an opportunity for existing staff wishing to develop some management and leaderships skills.

For an employer, a programme can provide the first step in a 'grow your own' approach to building your workforce and feeding your talent pipeline.

These are a Level 3 technical qualification that provide an alternative to A levels for 16-19-year-olds. One T Level is studied over two years equivalent to three A levels and is awarded UCAS points. There are over twenty T Level subjects, many of which are suitable for the NHS, including health, engineering and manufacturing, finance and digital data analytics.

T Levels include an industry placement, where students will spend 315 hours (approximately 45 days) in an employment setting. The industry placement structure is developed collaboratively between education provider and the employer and may include rotational elements or collaboration with other organisations.

T Level qualifications provide students with broad knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary for employment in an occupation or industry related to their field of study. On completion students may go directly into work, onto higher education or begin an apprenticeship. They provide an opportunity to support the domestic talent pipeline, supporting students to move directly into the organisation to start their career or embedding the organisation as an employer of choice for the future.

This is an opportunity for employers to showcase the breadth of roles available in their organisation, to a pool of people that know they are interested in the sector, but who may not yet have picked a specific occupation.

Find out more on the NHS Employers T Level hub which includes a number of case studies.

Lasting up to one year, these internships offer 16-24 year olds with a learning difficulty, disability or autism, an opportunity to build their skills and confidence to go into paid work. Supported internships are a way of encouraging participation among this group who are often disproportionately excluded in society.

NHS England created Choices College to help young adults gain work experience and improve employability and independence skills within NHS organisations.

Learn more about Internships for staff with learning disabilities.

These are most suitable for people who like to learn on the job, and with the wide range of apprenticeships now available, including higher and degree-level apprenticeships, they can be used to attract new talent or develop and upskill existing staff.

Apprenticeships are available to anyone over the age of 16 and provide the opportunity to gain a qualification and apply the learning while continuing to earn a salary.

Apprentices work within a specific role and complete approximately 80 per cent of their learning in a work environment and 20 per cent of their training ‘off-the-job’ which may be in an education setting.

Students are a vital supply route for the future of our NHS workforce and spend a large proportion of their studies in NHS organisations training. As an employer, it is important to ensure they have a positive experience with your organisation on placement as you can recruit them as a newly qualified healthcare professional.

It is also important to offer the appropriate preceptorship programme for them once they have joined to ensure they have the best start to their career. A preceptorship is a structured period of support that helps newly qualified practitioners transition into autonomous professional practice, guided by an experienced preceptor.

These programmes are aimed at previously registered professionals and aim to update their skills and knowledge in order to facilitate a return to practice, they typically last between 1-12 months. NHS England runs return to practice programmes designed to provide individuals with help and information should they wish to return to their profession. 

Nurses and midwives who are looking to return to practice can undertake a test of competence instead of doing a return to practice course. This is an alternative route back onto the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register and does not replace return to practice courses which are still available.

More information on the test of competence including information on how to apply and preparation materials are available on the NMC website.

As the largest single employer in the UK, the NHS is proud to have a diverse workforce and recruitment from outside the UK continues to be an important part of the workforce supply. See our International Recruitment landing page for all the latest news, guidance and resources on international recruitment and how it can positively impact your workforce.

Support worker roles offer a strong foundation for progression into registered professions across the NHS. These roles introduce individuals to clinical environments, core care skills and the NHS values, creating a natural pipeline into regulated careers such as nursing, midwifery, nursing associate roles, and allied health professions. 

With structured development programmes, apprenticeships and initiatives like the NHS Healthcare Support Worker Programme, many support workers can access funded training routes to become registered practitioners.