Support Services Apprenticeships

Our support services apprenticeships

The first thing people usually think of when they hear or read “ambulance service” is an emergency ambulance and crew helping people who are seriously ill or injured.

But we do much more including our Patient Transport Service (PTS) and providing the NHS 111 service for the region. Behind our key services are the many people vital to keep them up and running.

There are hundreds of roles in many different areas, for example in finance, business planning, administrative and reception services, ICT, learning and development, estates, operational support, corporate communications – and many, many more.

Steph Gossip is doing a Project Management Degree Apprenticeship.     

“I am learning new knowledge and gaining a deeper understanding of skills, theories and models. The apprenticeship allows me to network and meet new people to inform my learning, along with my YAS work-based mentor who has been fantastic. All this new learning is relevant to my role and current project work, so is therefore benefitting the organisation.”

Amy Firth tells us about her experience on the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Apprenticeship Scheme as a Patient Transport Communications Apprentice.

“I joined Yorkshire Ambulance Service straight from school as a Patient Transport Service Communications Apprentice on a 12-month contract. My apprenticeship was in Customer Service Level 2.

“My job involves taking calls from patients and healthcare professionals who are booking transport for outpatient appointments and discharges. I get to speak to some really nice people, and some on a regular basis. I also get some ‘challenging or difficult’ calls, but I am more confident in dealing with these now! I find the job very rewarding, as I enjoy talking to people and helping them with their transport needs.

“I think an apprenticeship is a brilliant way to work. I am working and learning at the same time. The PTS Communications Team is a nice team and it feels like family. The managers have all been really supportive during my apprenticeship.

“On completion of my apprenticeship I am happy that I have secured a permanent role within the team, and am looking forward to progressing my career with YAS.”

Amy Ingham started her apprenticeship while she was working in the YAS Academy staff training and development department as a resource coordinator. Her line manager suggested the Level 4 apprenticeship in business administration would be a great development opportunity. It is a qualification which demonstrates a set of skills that can be applied across many roles. It involves written work and evidence collection and a monthly meeting with an external assessor. Those meetings are a chance to discuss progress and talk about next steps.

“The apprenticeship takes approximately 18 to 24 months but there is flexibility around it. It gives you the opportunity to prove you are working at a certain level and the direct feedback from the assessor is encouraging.” Amy, who is now responsible for overseeing our Patient Transport Service volunteer scheme, said there are great benefits to doing the apprenticeship but you have to be prepared to put the hard work in. “In a busy working environment it can be challenging to find the time for the additional work that the apprenticeship requires, but it is worth it in the long-term.”

Craig McGown also shares his experience of how he came to work at YAS.

“Like many people, I left school with relatively poor qualifications. This was a constant barrier throughout my working life. Whether it was a prerequisite qualification for the opportunity to attend a particular college course or a sneaking suspicion my CV was being filed away in the receptionist's waste-paper bin, without GCSE Maths and English I was always going to be up against it.

I was apprehensive to say the least but with some gentle persuasion from Fiona Goulding, Academy Educator, Paul Selwood who works in Fleet Ancillary Services and my amazing tutor Julie Walker at Barnsley College, I completed a Level 2 apprenticeship in cleaning and support services which included Functional Skills Level 1. I then continued at the college and was able to pass Functional Skills Level 2 in Maths and English which is a nationally recognized qualification!

I have since changed job roles within Yorkshire Ambulance Service, working in a different department, gaining experience and growing in confidence and earning more money! For anyone hesitant about gaining functional skills, I would strongly encourage you to seize the opportunity. As NHS employees we are privileged to be afforded such opportunities that we might better ourselves, not just for ourselves but for our families and the NHS as a whole. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped me achieve this. I am so grateful.”

Next Steps

Look to see if there are any current apprenticeship vacancies on our vacancies page

If you have any further questions please email yas.apprenticeships@nhs.net