‘Think apprenticeship first’ provides local employment opportunities

Our apprenticeship programmes are providing opportunities for the local communities we operate in, and providing Nuffield Health with a route to attract new talent.

Apprenticeships are helping us fill critical vacancies across our fitness & wellbeing centres and nurseries. In 2019, we signed the Social Mobility Pledge and, as part of this, offer structured work experience and apprenticeship opportunities to people living in the communities in which we operate. Our leaders are encouraged to ‘think apprenticeship first’ when recruiting new talent.

Tami Eccleston, our Fitness Manager from Stoke Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, used the apprenticeship programme to recruit a new PT, Ebony Baker. She says: “Having completed an apprenticeship myself, I was keen to offer someone else a chance through the Apprentice PT Programme (APT). After lockdown, we lost quite a few of our team and were having difficulty in finding new candidates to fulfil the roles – so, I used APT to recruit Ebony. The recruitment process was really straightforward, from interview to onboarding. It literally took only ten days from set up to get Ebony started.”

Ebony adds: “My experience at Nuffield Health has been amazing. My colleagues are very friendly, supportive and have made me feel like I’m part of the team since the start. My confidence has also increased a lot since I first started and I’ve gained a variety of new skills essential for working on the gym floor and other areas of the centre.”