From Opportunity to Impact: Apprenticeships are the beating heart of growth at NUH  | Latest news

To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week (9-16 February 2026), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) is highlighting how apprenticeships are helping staff of all ages and backgrounds to develop their careers, build confidence and make a real difference for patients. 

Sorcha Garavan, Transformation Programme Lead at NUH, joined the Trust seven and a half years ago as a Junior Doctor Rota Coordinator in the Emergency Department, managing rotas for up to 200 doctors. That role sparked her interest in project management, and with encouragement from her line manager, she embarked on a Level 4 Project Management apprenticeship in 2020. 

Although she did not pass her first exam attempt, Sorcha completed the apprenticeship in 2024 with a distinction and has now been in her current role for four years. 

“I genuinely don’t believe I would be in the role I am now without my apprenticeship,” Sorcha said. “It was the perfect opportunity to develop and cement my skills, and it continues to support my development every day.” 

Sorcha also challenged her own assumptions about apprenticeships. 

“I didn’t think apprenticeships were for people like me, I thought they were mainly for younger people,” she said. “It was really empowering to realise that you are allowed to develop regardless of your age or band.” 

As a neurodiverse individual, Sorcha found the apprenticeship highly accommodating to different ways of learning. In her current role, she now works across a wide range of specialities to improve patient experience and services, including gaining first-hand insight into clinical pathways to better support staff and patients. 

Another example of NUH’s commitment to developing its workforce is Charlotte Rudge, ECG Lead and Cardiac Physiologist. Charlotte joined NUH in 2008 as a Band 2 Assistant Cardiac Physiologist, carrying out ECGs, fitting heart monitors and analysing reports. 

After ten years developing her experience, Charlotte secured a place on NUH’s apprenticeship scheme in 2018 while continuing to work full time. 

“The apprenticeship gave me the chance to study for a degree while still working at NUH,” Charlotte said. “It was hard work, especially with two young children, but graduating with my degree in 2021 was one of my proudest moments.” 

Now a fully qualified cardiac physiologist, Charlotte leads the ECG service across Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital, managing a team of 20. She has also led service improvements including moving ambulatory reports online and introducing a self-fitting heart monitor service, reducing hospital visits for patients and freeing up staff time. 

Reflecting on her journey, Charlotte said: “It has been an amazing journey, made even better by the people I’ve worked with at NUH. We’re always striving to make patient care the best it can be.” 

Sarah Newton, Head of Education at NUH reinforces the importance of enabling our staff to access education while working she said: “Apprenticeships at NUH make education accessible, allowing staff to progress in their careers without taking out loans or stepping away from work. As the largest employer in the region, we offer apprenticeships across both clinical and non-clinical roles, supporting development for the wide range of people who keep our hospitals running.” 

During National Apprenticeship Week, NUH is celebrating stories like Sorcha’s and Charlotte’s to demonstrate how apprenticeships support career progression, inclusive learning and improved patient care across the organisation.