To think if the NHS have such a recruitment crisis…

[Michaelknightsleatherjacket]

They could maybe tweak their recruitment policies and educational options to make it attractive for mature students and ‘returners’ to the workplace to train for clinical roles?

There's hardly and places for uni for nursing for this September in clearing - sorry op I know you're not looking at nursing - I think it's the 'nhs hero' and stable job that's made it very appealing suddenly . I'm applying and have had to look for courses starting in 2022

Possibly not just the ‘NHS hero’ idea but also people who’s career progression, income and professional integrity has been ruined by the pandemic because their job was not deemed ‘worthy’ enough to receive adequate financial or childcare support to sustain self employment.

*whose

If it's any help i retrained 5yrs ago and have worked for the NHS for 2 years. I had my fees paid and a bursary. Financially it was tight but not impossible.
I had a previous irrelevant masters degree and needed a recent L3 qualification. I did a l3 anatomy course online. I also volunteered and applied for work experience in my chosen field.

Getting onto the course was tricky - interviewed 80 for 24 funded places but I was offered my dream job 6mo before qualifying and I'm now in the same service working as a b6.
My management are fabulous and the work can be hard and the hours long but I have no regrets.
You're welcome to DM me.

@Michaelknightsleatherjacket

No not nursing. I’ve seen something which is offered from trainee level as an apprenticeship. I’ve done something entirely different (self employed/ better paid but very niche and an industry affected badly by the pandemic) for 15 years, and think I have lots of transferable skills. The reality is that the way the application form is formulated it just looks as though I have zero traditional qualifications post gcse, and it’ll probably be immediately rejected. I don’t need flexibility, as I had children very young, and now they’re adults. (Which is the reason I fell in to working in the industry I had a ‘talent’ for, rather than something like medicine, which I’d have liked to do but was too demanding with small babies). Anyway that ship has well and truly sailed, but now I really crave a career that amongst other things has a) job security, b) ongoing exciting learning possibilities and training c) people… my job is quite solitary.

I dont really understand that it looks like you have zero qualifications post GCSE? You either do or dont? Most application forms state " or equivalent" What is it that you are applying for ?