Over 500 apply for nursing apprenticeships

The hospital trust said it was "overwhelmed" by the volume of interest it received

More than 500 applications have been received for nursing apprenticeships in Hull.

Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust opened applications during during National Apprenticeship Week and said it had been "overwhelmed by the volume of interest".

The trust said more than 150 people attended a nurse apprenticeships open evening held at Castle Hill Hospital.

Anne Burdis, widening participation manager for the trust, said: "At one point, people were queuing out of the doors and into the hospital grounds to be able to speak with us about apprenticeship opportunities."

The trust said those expressing interest so far included school leavers and existing staff interested in further study opportunities.

“We’d really like to thank people for their interest, their patience and their support," Ms Burdis said.

"We were really blown away by just how popular the session was.”

'Real appetite'

Data from NHS England shows 42,306 registered nursing posts, or one in 10, were vacant at the end of September.

Lucy Vere, group director of learning and organisational development, said: “Nursing apprenticeships offer a great alternative way into the profession, especially for people who have the right personal qualities and the caring approach needed to become a nurse, but who maybe just aren’t suited to traditional, university-type study.

"The level of interest we saw in nursing apprenticeships last week just goes to show that there is a real appetite for this type of study and indeed, in nursing careers more generally, which is really encouraging not just for our hospitals but for our community as a whole," Ms Vere added.

The closing date for applications is 22 February 2024.

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