For too many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, a stable and meaningful career in healthcare still feels out of reach. Yet, our NHS depends on exactly the qualities these individuals often bring in abundance: compassion, resilience, and a deep connection to the communities they serve.
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One of the most significant barriers is the traditional cost of higher education – not just tuition fees, but the income lost while studying full time and the assumption of family support that many can’t rely on. That’s why healthcare degree apprenticeships aren’t just a workforce solution. They’re a powerful engine of social mobility.
At the University of Greenwich, we see this every day. Our apprenticeships in nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, operating department practice, and speech and language therapy allow people to earn while they learn. Apprentices are employed in NHS roles from day one, developing their skills in real clinical settings while studying for a fully accredited degree.
Take our nursing apprenticeship. Many of our learners are the first in their family to access higher education. Some are young parents. Others have been in care. But all are proving what’s possible when barriers are removed – not only achieving academic and professional milestones but also growing in confidence and opening doors for their families and communities.
This is about more than education. It’s about identity, opportunity, and long-term impact. We see the same transformation across our other healthcare programmes. People aren’t just learning to care for others – they are reshaping their own futures.
As the NHS grapples with chronic workforce shortages, particularly in community and allied health roles, apprenticeships offer a pipeline of talent rooted in the places that need it most. Because apprentices train and work in their local area, many stay – strengthening the long-term sustainability of the workforce.
In south east London, where health inequalities are stark, degree apprenticeships are already making a measurable difference. They offer a route into valued, vital roles without debt, while building a workforce that better reflects and understands the communities it serves.
We call it “Education without Boundaries” – and it works.
But the sector needs more. More awareness among prospective learners. More structured support for those navigating this demanding path. And stronger collaboration between employers, universities, and policymakers to embed apprenticeships into workforce planning at scale.
If we’re serious about levelling up – and serious about addressing the NHS workforce crisis – we must treat healthcare apprenticeships not as a side route, but as a core part of long-term strategy.
They don’t just fill gaps. They open doors, raise aspirations, and change lives.
