Nursing apprenticeships and training offer those wanting to start their career in nursing a practical, vocational qualification that allows them to follow their passion. Whether you're looking at becoming a Nursing Associate with the Level 5 nursing apprenticeship or a Registered Nurse with the Level 6 qualification, apprenticeships are a great way to build your career, experience and knowledge whilst gaining hands-on practical experience.
Some of the things you will learn with nursing apprenticeships training:
- How to support individuals with all aspects of care, including daily living
- How to perform and recording blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse
- How to undertake clinical tasks including cannulation, venepuncture, electrocardiograms
- How to accurately record nutritional and fluid intake
- How to ensure the privacy, dignity and safety of individuals is maintained at all times
What will I gain from a nursing apprenticeship training course?
- Foundation, Bachelor or Master's degree (depending on the level of the apprenticeship)
- Level 5, Level 6 or Level 7 diploma of higher education (depending on the level of the apprenticeship)
Who can apply for a nursing apprenticeship?
Nursing apprenticeship training isn’t just for school leavers. There is no age limit and apprenticeships are open to people of any age and any career level.
Apprenticeships are valuable for staff of any industry looking to learn practical, role-ready knowledge and skills and you can use the apprenticeship levy to train existing staff as well as taking on new employees. Nursing apprenticeships are offered from Level 5 (higher) all the way up to Level 6 (degree) and are a great way to develop the knowledge and skill set of existing staff.
| Name | Level | Equivalent Educational Level |
| Intermediate | 2 | GCSE |
| Advanced | 3 | A Level |
| Higher | 4,5, 6 and 7 | Foundation degree and above |
| Degree | 6 and 7 | Bachelor's or master's degree |
If you are a company required to pay the apprenticeships levy, you can spend your levy money on apprenticeship training and end-point assessment with a training provider on the Education & Skills Funding Agency’s Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP). We only list RoTAP approved apprenticeship providers, and you can search for courses here to find a provider to match.
Apprenticeship training must last a minimum of 12 months and 20% of the apprentice’s time must be spent on off-the-job training. You can only use funds in the account to pay for apprenticeship training and assessment for apprentices that work at least 50% of the time in England, and only up to the funding band maximum for that apprenticeship.
For employers who don’t pay the levy, support is still available. If you pay 10% of the apprenticeship training costs and the government will pay the rest (90%), up to the funding band maximum. This is known as ‘co-investment’.
What nursing apprenticeships standards are currently being offered?
- Nursing Associate (Level 5)
- Registered Nurse (Level 6)
If you are interested in dental nursing, there is also a Level 3 Dental Nurse apprenticeship standard.
Choosing the right nursing apprenticeship training provider
You can find and compare government approved, RoATP registered apprenticeship providers on our website. If you’re not sure which level is right for you or your staff you can find guides, articles and help on our Apprenticeship Hub.
