Apprenticeships
An apprenticeship is a genuine job with an accompanying skills development programme. Apprentices gain the technical knowledge, practical experience and wider skills they need for their immediate job and future career, all while earning a wage.

An apprenticeship will give you the skills, knowledge, and behaviours to deliver safe and effective care. There are many benefits when considering an apprenticeship; each programme will allow the apprentice to:
- Be recognised for the work you do
- Gain valuable work experience
- Develop job specific skills
- Study whilst you are working
- Further career potential
- Achieve nationally recognised qualifications
We offer a number of apprenticeships within the Healthcare Support Worker profession:
Apprenticeships we offer
This apprenticeship is available for existing members of staff and is delivered internally under our main employer provider status. Being a senior healthcare support worker involves providing high quality and compassionate specialist health and social care for a range of people, including children and young people. It is a good option for our Support Workers within our children and young people Care Delivery Service.
For more information on this apprenticeship opportunity, please contact Skills.advisor@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
Registered nursing associate apprenticeships are available for existing health care support workers and offered externally to staff who want to join Sussex Partnership. These are a way of ‘growing our own’ staff and offer a great career route to develop in a new nursing role. As a Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA), you will be paid on a Band 3 salary and, upon completion of your course and End Point Assessment, registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and if successfully appointed to a Registered Nursing Associate post, this will increase to Band 4.
Trainees will attend university one day a week and experience practice in a variety of clinical settings across a number of local health care providers. Successful trainees will gain a Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care Practice.
There is also the chance to join a pilot trainee nursing associate (TNA) learning disability and/or autism programme. This involves following the Trainee Nursing Associate programme and completing approximately 50% learning disability and/or autism practice experience, supported by a learning disability senior development nurse.
To apply to be a TNA you will need to provide evidence that:
- You are working within Sussex Partnership as a HCSWor equivalent in a permanent post.
- You have applied for a HCSW as an external candidate and have successfully been employed as a HCSW in order to apply to one of our local universities to be considered for a TNA place.
- You have the support from your line manager, general manager and Care Delivery Service (CDS) Lead Nurse to apply
- Your mandatory training is up to date (including the Care Certificate)
- You hold a Level 2 (or above) certificate in English and Maths
- You hold a relevant or equivalent Level 3 qualification
- You have studied at a Level 3 within the last 5 years
For more information on this apprenticeship opportunity, please contact TNAApplications@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
The University of Brighton is the first local University to start this apprenticeship programme and we have the opportunity to offer spaces for the registered mental health nursing degree apprenticeship programme starting in September 2022. This will be for existing staff that meet the entry requirements of the Trust and the University. There are a limited number of spaces available and there is an internal application process.
The Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship is a BSc (Hons) Level 6 qualification which allows apprentices from Sussex Partnership to qualify and register as a mental health nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The registered nursing degree apprenticeship programme offers the options of:
- Recognition of Prior Learning for Registered Nursing Associates to join year 2 of the programme.
- Entry by unregistered practitioners to complete the full Mental Health Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship programme which takes 3 years and 4 months (subject to eligibility criteria).
More information about the programme offered by the University of Brighton can be found here.
Entry Requirements
- Must hold a substantive post with Sussex Partnership and have the support of the local CDS to release you for the period of the programme.
- Recognition of Prior Learning up-to 50% of the course credits can be transferred (applicants will be considered on an individual basis in line with the University of Brighton policy)
- 112 UCAS tariff points (equivalent to A-level BBC including a science or social science subject)
- Access to Higher Education Diploma - 60 credits overall in a Nursing or Social Care related subject (at least 45 credits at level 3 with 30 credits at distinction)
- All candidates must have maths and English Language Grade 4 or equivalent (Function Skills Maths and English level 2)
- BTEC DMM in a health or science subject.
- Applicants who have completed the Skills for Health Bridging Programme will be considered
The application process for the September 2022 cohort will start in January 2022. Please keep checking this page for further information
Advanced clinical practitioners manage defined episodes of clinical care independently, from beginning to end, providing care and treatment. This is a Level 7 Apprenticeship.
Entry criteria include:
- Applicants must be registered with an appropriate professional healthcare body in the UK (for example, HCPC, NMC, RCOT) and should normally have a minimum of three years post-registration experience.
- Applicants must hold a degree qualification.
- Applicants must have studied within the last five years.
- Applicants must apply through an internal interview process before applying directly to the university providing the MSc.
Applications for this apprenticeship are supported by theDepartment of Nursing Research, Education and Development. . If you would like to discuss this opportunity in more detail and find out when the recruiting process begins, please contact NursingEducation@sussexpartnership.nhs.uk
You can find more detailed information on this apprenticeship here
To find out more about the apprenticeships we can offer, please fill out the 'Ask a champion' form below, or search our live apprenticship opportunities on our vacancies page.

Professional Education
We are also committed to offering professional education to our staff.
Nurse Education
Our Nurses have the opportunity to work with Human Resources to develop protocols to support Healthcare Support Workers who want to be Nursing Associates and Graduate Mental Health Nurses as part of the apprenticeship scheme.

Ask a champion
Our champions are on hand to answer your questions. They are individuals from within our services who have the most up to date knowledge and experience to make sure you get the information and guidance you need. Simply fill out the form below and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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