Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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New apprenticeships to train Leeds nurses of the future
As part of the Trust’s Future You career development programme, a new apprenticeship route has been launched, providing both experienced and aspiring healthcare workers with the practical skills and qualifications they need to start a new career as a Nursing Associate or Registered Nurse.
Students on the programme are employed as Trainee Nursing Associates within the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and will combine study for a Foundation Degree at either Leeds Beckett or The Open University with work placements across a range of specialities.
This is followed by a year working as a Nursing Associate, developing skills and practice. Students may then progress to the two-year Apprentice Nurse programme, leading to a BSc (Hons) Nursing degree and Registered Nurse status.
Sue Sherwin, Dean of the School of Health at Leeds Beckett, said: “Leeds Beckett is delighted to be recruiting for the Future You nursing apprenticeship programme. This new and exciting programme provides an opportunity for people to enter the nursing profession who would otherwise be unable to do so and will recruit from a diverse community of people, in line with our commitment to widening participation at Leeds Beckett.
“We have been training nurses and working with our partners in Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for nearly 50 years and welcome The Open University to this collaboration which offers further flexibility for learners.”
The first cohort of students will begin in September, with a second intake starting in January 2021. More than one hundred applications have already been received.
Katie Robinson, Head of Nursing, Workforce and Education at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are very excited to be collaborating with Leeds Beckett and The Open University on our Future You programme. The expertise and state-of-the-art facilities at Leeds Beckett will provide our future workforce with all the skills and knowledge needed to support the growth of our Trust through the important roles of Nursing Associates and Registered Nurses.
“We are delighted to have received so many applications for the programme so far and looking forward to welcoming our new students this September.”
Balvinder Johal, Head of Business Development (Health) at The Open University, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting collaboration. The OU has a proven track record in educating nurses since 2002. Our learning model is shaped around the needs of our partner employers and our tried and tested online teaching opens up a career in nursing to a wider range of people.”
The apprenticeships are open to current Care Support Workers as well as all post-16 students with care experience and the completion of a Care Certificate. For full details about the programme, entry requirements and how to apply, please contact the Leeds Beckett degree apprenticeships team at apprenticeships@leedsbeckett.ac.uk or on 0113 812 4500.
All academics within Leeds Beckett's School of Health have worked in health, public health or social care, and many still maintain their professional practice to ensure a strong link between teaching and the demands of the professional workplace.
Alternatively, students can also opt to study through The Open University. With the support of tutors, students learn new skills online alongside their job role, which are then put into practice immediately, for the benefit of patients and service users.
Nursing Associates are patient-centred health workers who bridge the gap between the role of the Care Support Worker and Registered Nurse. The apprenticeship programme will allow the Trust to plan its future workforce and embed this new role across the city.
Find out more about Leeds Beckett degree apprenticeships.