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AIREDALE EDUCATION
  • Clinical Skills Department
    • Registered Courses
  • TaRTS Course
    • TARTS Course Description
    • Sample Materials
    • Purchase Licence
    • Resources Page
    • Contact Us
    • About the Team
  • Undergraduate Education
    • Medical Students
    • AHP Students
  • Postgraduate Education
  • NHS Careers
  • Work Experience
  • Apprenticeships
    • Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker Programme
  • Clinical Attachments
  • Rooms
    • Room Bookings
  • Library Services
    • Current Awareness
    • Registration Form
    • Literature Searches
    • Document Requests
    • Library Enquiry Form
    • Reading Group
  • Contact Us
  • International Recruits
  • Airedale-Trust.nhs.uk
AIREDALE EDUCATION

Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW) Programme

Airedale NHS Foundation Trust logo
HCSW apprenticeships provide an exciting opportunity to take a first step into a career in healthcare.

HCSWs undertake a crucial role in an acute hospital, helping to look after the care needs of our patients on a day to day basis.  HCSWs can also progress into other roles and careers e.g. Nursing Associate and/or Registered Nurse (subject to meeting the entry requirements) so apprenticeships can be the stepping stone to other things in addition to being an invaluable role in their own right.

The following links may provide some further useful information:
  • Health Careers
  • My role as an Apprentice Healthcare Support Worker

We have developed a HCSW Apprenticeship Programme in collaboration with Keighley College (part of Leeds City Colleges).  We usually recruit groups of up to 15 apprentices two to three times each year and advertise these positions on the Trust's vacancies site

Congratulations to our newly qualified Health Care Support Workers. This time last year they were starting out as apprentices now, following a year working hard on the wards @AiredaleNHSFT and @KeighleyCollege, they've made it! #proud #apprenticeships #nursing #hcsw pic.twitter.com/wkgj5P8at1

— AGHEducationCentre (@AGH_Education) 1 December 2017
If shortlisted, you will be invited to attend an Assessment Centre followed by an interview.

HCSW Apprenticeships will usually be full-time (37.5hrs per week) and last for 12-18 months.

We expect you to:
  • Be at least 18 years of age on the date of commencement
  • Have good numeracy and literacy skills
  • Have excellent communication skills
  • Be able to demonstrate a caring and compassionate disposition and the commitment to work in a challenging but rewarding healthcare environment
View an example of a typical job description and person specification
As an apprentice, you can expect from us:
  • Full training:
    • Working with experienced staff
    • Learning job-specific skills
    • Attending weekly classroom-based teaching sessions at Airedale Hospital delivered by Keighley College
    • Achieving the Fundamentals of Care Certificate (Care Certificate) within three months of starting
    • Achieving a Level 2 or 3 (depending on previous qualifications) vocational qualification as a Health Care Support Worker within 18 months of starting
    • Support for functional skills training in English & Maths if required
  • All of your training will be paid for in full
  • Subject to the satisfactory completion of your apprenticeship, we will offer you a permanent Healthcare Support Worker post at the Trust.
  • You will be paid during your apprenticeship:
    • You will be paid the national apprentice wage until you have completed the Care Certificate after which you will receive a pay increase for the rest of your apprenticeship. View the current national hourly rates for apprentices
  • On satisfactory completion of your apprenticeship you will be offered a Band 2 (Agenda for Change) HCSW post. View the Agenda for Change pay scales here

Once we have offered you a post, we will assign you to a clinical area, usually for the duration of your apprenticeship and thereafter where you will be offered a permanent post.  Whilst we will try to take your preferences of work area into consideration, we are unable to guarantee in advance which area you will be assigned to.

During the first three months you will be expected to work your hours between 07:00-17:30 Monday to Friday (depending on the clinical area).  Once you have achieved the Care Certificate you may be expected to work any shifts from Monday to Sunday between 07:00-20:30 (again depending on the clinical area).  After 6-8 months and at the discretion of your manager, you may also be asked to start working night shifts. Unsocial hours pay enhancements will be paid in accordance with Agenda for Change pay scales.  Once in a permanent post, you will be expected to work the normal shift patterns associated with that post; this may include weekends, bank holidays and nights. 

There are some eligibility criteria for funded Apprenticeship schemes that apply to these posts along with some locally determined criteria.  Applicants must therefore:
  • Be aged 18 or over at the expected start date
  • Have been resident in the UK/EU for the last three years
  • Must not hold a degree or level four qualification (or above) in a health related subject
  • Be subject to the Trust being satisfied that the result of an enhanced/standard disclosure of criminal convictions, including checks for the protection of children/vulnerable adults, does not indicate that you are unsuitable for the post.
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