Here at Bridgewater, our apprentices are an essential part of our workforce and are also key to our future ambitions.
Apprenticeships provide opportunities for people to learn on the job, allowing learners to gain a qualification and apply their learning while continuing to earn a salary – essentially earning as they learn.
This could be as a new starter, or existing members of our staff can take up an apprenticeship to progress their careers and bolster their qualifications.
A number of Bridgewater staff are currently working towards and achieving Master’s level qualifications as they work.
Partnering with a number of local apprenticeship providers including Riverside College, University of Central Lancashire and Manchester Metropolitan University, we already have 59 employees working as apprentices and in September an additional 47 people started an apprenticeship with us, working alongside our clinical and non-clinical support teams.
Photo: Bridgewater’s Level 3 apprentices, 2023
Working mainly in health centres, clinics and patients own homes, supporting district nursing/community nursing colleagues, health visitors, physiotherapists, and others, our apprentices are taking advantage of the great opportunity to enhance their skills, knowledge and qualifications and support the delivery of excellent patient care.
Bridgewater’s new Physiotherapy apprentices Megan Wain, Matty Carpenter and Kelly Steele (L-R)
“Our apprentices are making a huge difference to our work, day in and day out,” says Paula Woods, Director of Workforce. “We are extremely proud of their achievements and the massive contribution they are making in our local communities to support people to live independently in their own homes.
“Our apprentices work alongside clinicians working with adults and children. Some are supporting the work of the organisation behind the scenes working in our finance, HR, and IT teams.”
The vast majority of Bridgewater’s apprentices are drawn from within the communities served by the Trust. Apprenticeships provide Bridgewater with the opportunity to grow our own workforce for the future by supporting local people into entry level apprenticeship posts and enabling others to train to be registered healthcare professionals such as nurses and physiotherapists.
A large number are recruited by the organisation’s Careers and Apprenticeship team, that regularly outreach to local schools, colleges and job centres encouraging and supporting local people to apply for these brilliant opportunities.
If you or a member of your family are interested in the opportunities at Bridgewater, find more information on our Career’s webpage or contact the Trust’s Careers and Apprenticeship Team by emailing bchft.careers@nhs.net.