Below the information and resources that have been shared across our social media channels for National Apprenticeship Week 2026 can be found.
Monday 9th February 2026
Morning Post – Introduction to Apprenticeship Week
National Apprenticeship Week 2026 is here! #NAW2026
Today Monday 9th February marks the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2026. At Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub, we are passionate about spreading awareness that there is an Apprenticeship opportunity for everyone!
Whether you are looking to take the next step in your career aspirations, develop new skills or build on existing skills to support you in your current role, there will be an Apprenticeship to support you.
Each day this week we will be aligning with the National Apprenticeship Week Government themes, sharing information on how you can locate the right Apprenticeship for you, the benefit to Employers of having Apprentices, Case Studies from both perspectives, T-Levels and more! This years theme is ‘Skills for Life’, focusing on how skills gained through Apprenticeships, help us all to reach our full potential.
Check back to our Social Media Channels this afternoon as we will be launching the Gloucestershire Primary Care Apprenticeship Awards 2026!
An opportunity to highlight the fantastic work being completed by Apprentices in your workforce.
Afternoon Post – Launch of Gloucestershire Primary Care Apprenticeship Awards
To mark the start of National Apprenticeship Week 2026 #NAW2026, the Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub Apprenticeship Awards 2026 are now open!!
A fantastic opportunity to highlight the amazing work being completed by Apprentices across Primary Care.
There are three different Categories for nominations:
– Non-Clinical Apprentice of the Year
– Clinical Apprentice of the Year
– Apprenticeship Mentor of the Year
Have someone in mind to nominate? To access the nomination form, please click here – https://glosprimarycare.co.uk/primary-care-apprenticeship…
The deadline for nominations is Monday 9th March 2026.
Want to find out more about our winners from last year, please click here – https://glosprimarycare.co.uk/…/gloucestershire-primary…
For any queries, please contact us at – glicb.pcwc@nhs.net.
Tuesday 10th February 2026
Morning Post – Employer Tuesday
Employer Tuesday!! This week is National Apprenticeship Week 2026, today is ‘Employer Tuesday’ and we would like to focus on the benefits to employers of having apprentices in your team.
Individuals embarking on an apprenticeship demonstrates a commitment to learning and developing new skills, an enthusiasm that can be brought to your team. The newly developed skills apprentices bring can help diversify your team, supporting in meeting the needs of the Gloucestershire population.
Have you thought about recruiting a new role to your practice via an apprenticeship? Do you want to recruit a new receptionist, administrator, finance role? If you currently have a skills gap and want to know what apprenticeship opportunities are available for your team, the Skills England page is a great place to start, providing a full list of all available apprenticeships and what each apprenticeship entails, including an occupation summary, entry requirements and occupation duties. To access this page, please click here – https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/
Check back in to our social media channels this afternoon, when we will be sharing case studies from employers within primary care who have experienced the benefits of having an apprentice on their team.
Afternoon Post – Employer Tuesday – case study
Employer Tuesday!! National Apprenticeship Week 2026
Below we share a case study from Lindsey Wright Practice Manager at Brockworth Surgery, highlighting their personal experience of having an apprentice in their team and the benefits this has brought to the Practice.
Wednesday 11th February 2026
Morning Post – Apprentice Wednesday
Apprentice Wednesday!! This week is National Apprenticeship Week 2026, today is ‘Apprentice Wednesday’ and we would like to focus on celebrating the work being completed by apprentices.
What apprenticeship is right for you? What skills would you like to build on or develop? Do you have a dream career in mind?
Did you know that completing a series of apprenticeships could be the route to get you to a career you would never have considered previously? With so many opportunities and endless possibilities it can be difficult to know where to begin! The Skills England Website can be a great place to start!
The Skills England website has a “search the apprenticeships” page, where you have access to a full list of available apprenticeships, which can be filtered to find the best fit for you. Topics such as “business and administration” and “health and science” can be chosen along with selecting the apprenticeship level you would be interested in undertaking. A search button is also present on this webpage so that key words such as “primary care” can be input. When selecting an apprenticeship you are interested in, you will then have access to the following information to help you determine if the apprenticeship is right for you:
– Occupation summary
– Entry requirements
– Occupation duties
– Professional recognition upon completion
– Route
– Typical duration
– Regulator standard/regulator body
– Next steps and more …
To access this page, please click here – https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/
The Skills England website also has a page that allows you access to occupational maps, that show you the correct sequence to complete apprenticeships, to reach your desired career. To access this page, please click here – https://occupational-maps.skillsengland.education.gov.uk/ Visit our social media channels this afternoon, when we will be sharing case studies from apprentices working within primary care.
Afternoon Post – Apprentice Wednesday – case study
Below we share an inspiring and motivational case study from Nicola Greenwood, highlighting her personal experience of how completing apprenticeships has supported her in achieving her career aspirations. Nicola has completed both the student nursing associate and the registered nursing degree apprenticeship to become a registered Nurse. Nicola’s commitment to learning and hard work is driven by her passion to care for people in a meaningful way.
Thursday 12th February 2026
Morning Post – T Level Thursday
Today is T Level Thursday! #TLevelThursday and #NAW2026
What is a T-Level?
T-Levels (Technical Levels) are two-year qualifications in England designed for students aged 16–19. They are equivalent to three A-Levels and provide a mix of classroom learning and industry experience, preparing students for skilled employment, apprenticeships, or higher education.
What are the benefits to the Employer of hosting a T-Level Student?
Benefits are highlighted in the below image …
T-Levels Podcast
To access a T-Level Podcast from Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust, please click here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENwdgGAPVBQ
The Podcast features two T-Level students sharing their placement experiences at Gloucestershire Hospitals.
Check back to our Social Media Channels this afternoon, where we will be sharing T-Levels Case Studies.
Afternoon Post – T Level Thursday – case study
T-Level Thursday – National Apprenticeship Week 2026 – #TLevelThursday and #NAW2026
NHS Employers have shared a national case study, highlighting successful primary care placements for T-Level students, from Meon Health Practice (a Partnership of GP Practices in Fareham, Titchfield, Whiteley and surrounding areas).
The case study showcases the key benefits and outcomes the T-Level students brought, what steps the Practice made throughout the process of hosting T-Level students and some takeaway tips. This national case study can be accessed here – Successful primary care placements for T Level students | NHS Employers
Friday 13th February 2026
1st Post – Why primary care should employ apprentices
🌟 Why Primary Care Should Employ Apprentices (NAW 2026)
Apprentices bring immediate value to Primary Care teams — cost savings, workforce stability, and fresh capability.
Here’s what the evidence shows:
📈 Strong Return on Investment
Primary Care employers typically recoup apprenticeship costs within 12–18 months, thanks to reduced recruitment spend, lower agency dependence and fewer vacancies. Some NHS case studies report >250% ROI over three years — proving apprenticeships are a financially smart workforce solution.
🤝 Better Workforce Stability
Apprentices are more likely to stay than new starters recruited traditionally. ICS evidence highlights apprenticeships as one of the most effective tools for reducing turnover and stabilizing hard‑to‑recruit roles in Primary Care.
📦 Immediate Service Impact
Apprentices contribute real value early on — taking on tasks, improving processes, and enhancing day‑to‑day workflow. Leaders report that apprentices quickly boost competence and confidence within teams, strengthening frontline delivery.
🌍 Local Talent, Local Benefits
Hiring apprentices helps practices tap into local talent pipelines, diversify the workforce and build community goodwill — all while supporting NHS ambitions to “grow our own”.
🚀 Suitable Entry-Level Roles
Roles that create fast value for practices include:
- Reception & patient flow: Customer Service (L2)
- Admin & scheduling: Business Administrator (L3)
- Clinical support: Healthcare Support Worker (L2–3)
- Medicines support: Pharmacy Technician (L3)
- PCN delivery: Associate Project Manager (L4)
Bottom line:
Employing an apprentice isn’t just good for development — it’s a strategic move that cuts costs, fills gaps and builds a more resilient Primary Care workforce.
#NAW2026 #PrimaryCare #NHS #Apprenticeships #GrowYourOwn
Further information
Suitable Apprenticeships for Primary Care
Below are examples that work particularly well for practices, PCNs and community‑based services.
Non‑Clinical Pathways
- Customer Service Practitioner (L2) – ideal for reception/front‑of‑house roles
- Business Administrator (L3) – supporting practice operations
- Team Leader / Supervisor (L3) – for developing future supervisors
- Associate Project Manager (L4) – PCN project and transformation support
Clinical Pathways
- Healthcare Support Worker (L2 → L3) – core entry point for clinical progression
- Assistant Practitioner (L5)
- Nursing Associate (L5) → Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (L6)
- Pharmacy Technician (L3) – strengthens medicines optimisation in practice
Emerging Roles
- Digital / IT Apprenticeships – supporting digital transformation
- Care Navigators / Personalised Care Apprenticeships – enhancing patient flow and access
What this means for your practice
- Build a home‑grown workforce tailored to Primary Care
- Reduce reliance on agency and short‑term recruitment
- Create clear, motivating development routes for new and existing staff
- Strengthen team culture, morale and long‑term workforce stability
Apprenticeships offer an opportunity to invest in people at the start of their journey and support them into rewarding, long-term NHS careers.
Call to Action
If you’d like support identifying suitable apprenticeship roles or exploring levy funding options, please get in touch. We can help with:
- Role scoping and apprenticeship matching
- Provider recommendations
- Levy transfer options
- Workforce planning aligned to your PCN/ICS priorities
Let’s use National Apprenticeship Week to strengthen our workforce and broaden opportunities for people across our communities.
2nd Post – concluding Apprenticeship Week 2026
As Apprenticeship Week 2026 comes to an end we would like to highlight three specific apprenticeship opportunities available to the primary care at the moment:
- Level 3 – Manage with Impact – Click here for further information.
- Level 5 – Lead with Impact – Click here for further information.
- Level 4 – Project Management – Click here for further information.
We would like to remind you that whether you are looking to take the next step in your career aspirations, develop new skills or build on existing skills to support you in your current role, there will be an apprenticeship available to support you.
The Skills England website can be a great place to start, when looking to identify an apprenticeship that is right for you – https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/
We have a page dedicated to apprenticeships on our website, to access the webpage please click here – Apprenticeships – Gloucestershire Primary Care Workforce Centre
REMINDER: The Gloucestershire Primary Care Training Hub Apprenticeship Awards are now open! A fantastic opportunity to highlight the amazing work being completed by Apprentices across Primary Care.
There are three different Categories for nominations:
- Non-Clinical Apprentice of the Year
- Clinical Apprentice of the Year
- Apprenticeship Mentor of the Year
Have someone in mind to nominate? To access the nomination form, please click here. The deadline for nominations is Monday 9th March 2026.