'Life-changing' NHS apprenticeship scheme expands

A successful NHS apprenticeship scheme that began on the Isle of Wight is now being rolled out across the South.

The Careers for Young People Programme, set up in partnership with the island's HTP Apprenticeship College, gives people aged 16 to 24 the chance to train and work within the NHS.

Other health trusts nationwide are now interested in replicating the scheme.

Apprentices taking part in the programme said it had changed their lives and given them confidence and a sense of purpose.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that one-in-six young people in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are out of work.

Students enrolled in the programme earn a wage, gain a qualification and are provided with a placement by the NHS.

The current cohort has just completed their first six months and are on a starting salary of about £23,000.

Annabelle Brown joined the programme after struggling at school and lacking confidence.

She is now an acute physiotherapy assistant working with people who have mobility and respiratory needs, as well as people with dementia.

"I love it. It's a new experience and it's the job I wanted to do," she said.

"It's 100% changed my life and made me happy."

Alfie Hobbs, who has been working as a community healthcare assistant, said the experience had a major impact on his life.

"My confidence has just grown," he said. "I know friends who are sitting A-Levels and getting qualifications, but this is a lot more hands on and practical.

"It's made such a difference to my life."

Hobbs said he was also able to earn money and contribute towards a pension, something he did not expect to be able to do after his GCSEs.

On the Isle of Wight, GCSE attainment rates are among the lowest in the country at just 57.9%.

The programme aims to help students might otherwise get lost in the current education system.

Nikki Turner, managing director at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are scaling up something that started on the Isle of Wight and has moved beyond that.

"We want to grow the talent locally, and that's what it's all about."

CEO of HTP Apprenticeship College Rachael Randall helped develop the educational element of the programme.

"It's transformative for our young people, particularly here on the Isle of Wight," she said.

"You've got young people who leave school and within that year they're already in full apprenticeships within the NHS."

The scheme supports learners with their wellbeing and employability skills during the first six months before they progress onto an 18-month apprenticeship.

Once completed they gain a nationally recognised Level 2 or Level 3 qualification alongside maths and English, while the NHS provides placements.

So far, 66 young people across the Isle of Wight and Portsmouth have taken part in the scheme, with 32 completing the course across its first three cohorts.

About 84% of participants have gone on to work in the NHS.

The programme has already been nationally recognised with multiple awards, including the King's Award for Enterprise in 2025.