Creating Clear Pathways into NHS Careers for Adult Learners
Working closely with local NHS Trusts, Hugh Baird College has developed an employer-led pre-apprenticeship in Health and Social Care to help address workforce pressures and open up clear routes into NHS careers.
The 12-week programme combines classroom-based learning with meaningful clinical placements, giving adult learners the practical experience and sector knowledge needed to secure entry-level healthcare roles and progress into nursing and allied health pathways.
As Colleges Week 2026 celebrates the contribution of further education across the country, Hugh Baird College is highlighting its adult learning programme as a powerful example of what colleges can achieve when they work hand in hand with local partners to meet real community need.
Learners build core knowledge in areas such as mental health awareness, dementia care and digital skills for NHS systems, alongside developing the professional behaviours essential in healthcare settings, including teamwork, resilience, confidentiality and patient-centred communication. The result is a group of learners who are confident, capable and ready to contribute from day one.
Each year, up to 60 adults take part across three cohorts. Learners attend college three days a week and complete NHS ward-based placements for two days a week over a two to six-week period. Placements span medical and surgical wards, elderly and dementia care units, mental health services and outpatient clinics, ensuring learners gain first-hand experience in busy, real-world environments.
Outcomes are strong, with the majority of participants moving directly into NHS employment through bank roles, apprenticeships, or permanent posts, and a further 20% progressing to additional training. Learners also complete key mandatory requirements for healthcare settings, helping them transition smoothly into the workplace.
Alongside this, a fast-track, contextualised English and maths programme, co-designed and delivered on-site with The Royal Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is supporting existing NHS staff to progress into trainee nursing associate roles, assistant practitioner apprenticeships, higher education and nursing degrees, strengthening internal progression routes.
