Digital Apprenticeships for the NHS
Raising awareness about the vast array of digital apprenticeship opportunities, encouraging talent to enter into the NHS as digital apprentices and supporting NHS organisations to recruit, manage and mentor apprentices.
Within the NHS, apprenticeships are a tried and tested model that can support digital innovation and transformation. With levy funds available to pay for the training and assessment of apprenticeship programmes.
In rapidly evolving digital environments digital apprentices are skilled, well informed and flexible additions to any workforce. Balancing on-the-job experience with study for recognised academic awards up to and including degree level, they quickly enhance their skills and bring current thinking and ideas into the workplace.
Digital apprentices practice the values of the NHS from day one of their professional careers, address skills shortages and ensure that there is long term capacity to meet the expectations of the NHS’s digital transformation.
This section of the toolkit explores what an apprenticeship is and the different digital apprenticeship programmes that could be suitable for your workforce.
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What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are nationally recognised, work-based learning programmes. By completing a mixture of on and off-the-job training, the apprentice will be equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours to complete the apprenticeship and succeed within the workplace. The training is delivered by an accredited training provider.
2. What does an apprenticeship consist of?
The structure and how its delivered will depend on the ‘standard’ that the apprentice is studying towards. To give you an idea, an apprenticeship programme will typically consist of:
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Functional Skills (maths and English)
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Technical occupational knowledge – can be through an embedded qualification (where applicable)
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Portfolio – evidencing skills, knowledge and behaviours within the workplace
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20% off the job learning time from the workforce for the duration of the programme
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Regular progress meetings
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Ongoing support from the apprentice’s line manager to ensure they are able to put their knowledge, skills and behaviours into practice within the workplace
Please refer to section 2 of this toolkit that provides further information on the structure of an apprenticeship. The team will be able to arrange a call with you to discuss all of these aspects in detail.
3. What digital apprenticeship programmes are available?
Digital Apprenticeships are designed by employers and there is a wide range of digital and technological options in key specialisms such as (but not exhaustive to), data analysis, cyber security, infrastructure, software development and digital marketing.
An Apprenticeship Standard set out the Skills, Knowledge and Behaviours that the apprentice must demonstrate, and the embedded training award also needs to be achieved to qualify for the apprenticeship. Each programme has an agreed apprenticeship standard.
The following links provide examples (not all) of Digital Apprenticeship Standards. The standard also provides an overview of suitable job roles that the apprenticeship would be suitable for:
4. How do I identify the most suitable programme for a vacancy or person to upskill into?
You will need to identify a role that the person will be undertaking. Once you have done this, you can search for apprenticeship standards on the Institute of Apprenticeships website. You will need to look at the recommended job roles, knowledge, skills and behaviours and assess if your learner will be in a suitable job role where they can have exposure and evidence these. Your apprenticeship team (if you have one) or team can support you with this.
5. Is there a process I can look at when identifying my needs and planning to recruit a digital apprentice?
Yes, the Health Apprenticeships Online website (sponsored by Health Education England) provides excellent information about taking the right steps in identifying the need for an apprentice and mapping this to Apprenticeship Standards, and how to support an apprentice in the work place.
How an Apprenticeship Structured is structured:
Section 1 has provided an overview of the elements make an apprenticeship. This section will focus on how the apprenticeship is structured. The apprenticeship experience is split into two interrelated parts: On the job and off the job learning.
On the job learning is an integral feature of the apprenticeship experience. The apprentice is employed and joins the workforce to assist their employer in meeting its objectives. They require support and mentoring as they navigate their apprenticeship journey, and the employer needs to plan the development and practice of new skills in relation to the expectations of the relevant Apprenticeship Standard.
Off the Job learning involves the apprentice using 20% of the employment time to study with a training provider (this is per rata, and extends the apprenticeship programme duration, if the apprentice works less than 30 hours per week). In relation to the expectations of the Apprenticeship Standard the apprentice gains theoretical and practical skills from their studies that support their work with the employer.
There needs to be a strong bond between the employer and the training provider to plan and coordinate the apprenticeship learning and formal review points. This will enable to apprentice to gain work experience aligned to their studies and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard in order to qualify for the apprenticeship and achieve the embedded training award.
The following link to NHS Digital illustrates how new talent is working in the NHS to enhance its services through digital innovation.
Apprenticeships give employees access to fully funded learning that can build upon their knowledge and improve their performance. As a manager of an apprentice, there are key responsibilities to consider.
The apprenticeship programme requires a commitment from both the employer and the apprentice. The employer will support the apprentice through their training with on-the-job training, coaching, and mentoring and will need to allow the employee to use 20% of their working time to learn off-the-job (approx. 1 day per week for a full-time employee).
The apprentice’s manager has the same role as that for other employees with the added benefit of being able to work with the training partner to assess how the integration of on-the-job and off-the-job learning (study) is helping the apprentice acquire, demonstrate, and track their skills in the workplace.
As a manager you will be required to:
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support your employee to achieve initial assessment entry requirements
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agree to support the 20% off the job learning time requirement for the duration of the programme – plan how you are going to support this (e.g. a dedicated study day each week)
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ensure that the apprentice has the opportunity to demonstrate the skills required to complete their apprenticeship in their job role
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attend formal review meetings to provide feedback and to review progress
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provide constructive feedback throughout the programme
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consider asking a member of your team to become a ‘Buddy’ or ‘mentor’ for new starters
Support for employers who are recruiting apprenticeships is available from the National Apprenticeship Service.
Managers'
Roles &
Responsibilities
Attracting, Recruiting and On-boarding an Apprentice
One of the partners involved is the Prince’s Trust. With its long and successful partnership with Health Education England, the Princes Trust has enabled many disadvantaged young people to fulfil their ambitions finding employment within the NHS. Using its extensive and well-developed links with communities the Princes Trust will encourage and support young people to apply for digital careers in the NHS.
The NHS Digital Apprenticeship Scheme is also forging links with NHS contractors and employers, Colleges of Further Education and developing a schools’ outreach programme that encourages students to consider digital careers in the NHS.
When considering your digital apprentice vacancy, it is important to question the entry criteria you are setting for the role. This is an opportunity to break down barriers to entry, by only asking for the absolute minimum requirements that you need. Remember, your apprentice is gaining the skills, knowledge and experience to be able to apply for a ‘qualified’ or ‘experienced’ role by the end of the programme. Therefore, take a look at some digital roles (job descriptions) that have already been job evaluated and use this as the apprentice opportunity for your vacancy. That way you can attract more people from different backgrounds.
We would always recommend that you work in conjunction with your HR, apprenticeship and recruitment teams to obtain their expertise in attracting a suitable candidate. The Princes Trust and/or our other networks are also on hand to support you. Your training provider will also be able to provide you with free recruitment support; they may also have their own talent pools that you could access too.
All apprentice vacancies should be advertised on the gov.uk website. Once your advert (on NHS Jobs and on your own careers website) is live, arrange for this to be posted on gov.uk. Your other partners (as above) can also help you promote this.
Potential applicants are also invited to enrol on an online apprenticeship readiness programme that develops digital skills, entry level work readiness and an awareness and understanding of the ethos and values of the NHS, with learning pathways tailored to the individual.
Your successful applicant will need to follow the same on-boarding process as any new starter joining your organisation. Hence the importance for your recruitment team to be involved, so they can support you with this. Your apprentice will need to have their pre-employment clearances and have a contract to reflect the length of their apprenticeship programme. There are some apprenticeship eligibility criteria that you will also need to be aware of, to ensure you are able to draw down funds from your apprenticeship levy. The Team can provide you with further information on this, prior to advertising your vacancy, to ensure the advert requirements reflect this.
Once a start date is agreed for your apprentice, they will be contacted to provide information to start their enrolment with the training provider. This includes assessing their eligibility for the apprenticeship. This is the same process for an existing employee using an apprenticeship to upskill. Once this has been undertaken, an enrolment meeting will occur to on-board them onto the apprenticeship programme. It is important that the manager is in attendance to this, to discuss, agree and sign any necessary paperwork and to understand the programme, including the expectations around this.
If you are interested in recruiting an apprentice, please contact us for further support.
Conclusions:
The NHS Digital Apprenticeship Scheme assists employers:
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Meet digital transformation strategic objectives
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Add to the capacity and capability for digital innovation
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Provide cost-effective long term skills gap management
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To access a deep pool of talent
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Recruit and develop skilled, motivated, and knowledgeable staff
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Improve staff retention
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Increase productivity
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Lower training costs
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Tap into a talent pipeline, from entry level to senior positions
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Recruit a diverse and flexible workforce
Request your free
workforce
consultation
As part of the Pilot, employers can access tailored consultation and advice on how best to implement digital apprenticeships across the workforce. In addition, a self-service toolkit has also been created to help NHS workplaces identify opportunities and implement apprenticeships in the most advantageous way.
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