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Michelle Fitton’s journey demonstrates how a nursing apprenticeship can provide a supportive and rewarding route into a career in healthcare. Her experience highlights the benefits of combining university study with practical placement experience, while earning a salary and developing the confidence and skills needed to become a registered nurse. 

We asked Michelle...

What made you want to pursue nursing?

Caring for others comes very naturally to me and from a young age I knew I wanted to help others. Nursing, for me, holds a sense of purpose and a special kind of fulfilment, knowing that I can make a difference in someone’s life.           

Why did you choose to study an apprenticeship?

I feel incredibly lucky to have been given the opportunity to pursue nursing through an apprenticeship, as without this route, achieving my goal of becoming a nurse would be much more challenging.  It has given me the opportunity to focus on my studies and develop my skills in practice without the added pressure of having to work another job alongside my education.        

What does your apprenticeship involve day to day?

The programme is broken up into theory and placement blocks. During theory blocks, I spend 3 days per week at university for lectures, with some teaching delivered online and 2 days completing directed study. Every module ends with an assessment that the module content has focused on before moving on to a placement block.  

During placement, I work closely with my practice assessor and supervisor to develop my practical skills and achieve my proficiencies in the PAD document.

Looking back over your time on the apprenticeship so far, how have you found the whole experience?

So far, I’ve really enjoyed the experience. I like the structure of the programme as it allows me to focus fully on either my studies or my placement, which works really well for me. I’m also really enjoying the content and it’s rewarding to see my knowledge and understanding growing day by day. I feel like I’m gaining something valuable from both the academic and practical sides of the apprenticeship.

How would you describe the support that you’ve received from the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×?

I feel extremely supported by the º£½ÇÂÒÂ×. They have so much support available for students, whether that’s around medical issues, learning, social circumstances or anything else you might need help with. I’ve recently come to find out just how much support is there and I’ve been really impressed by how understanding and accommodating the University has been. Knowing that this support is available has given me a real sense of reassurance and has made me feel much more confident about managing my studies alongside any challenges I may face.

What has been your proudest achievement in your apprenticeship to date?

My proudest achievement so far has been successfully completing my first two modules, which ran concurrently with assessments very close together. I found this challenging and was worried I wouldn’t achieve the marks I was aiming for, so I’m really proud of my results and how well I managed the workload.

What would you say to someone considering an apprenticeship?

If you have the opportunity to do an apprenticeship, absolutely go for it. It’s honestly one of the best decisions I’ve made and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to gain a valuable qualification while also gaining practical experience and earning a salary. You get the best of both worlds and I would definitely recommend it.

Do you have any advice for future apprentices?

My advice would be to not put too much pressure on yourself and to remember to enjoy the experience. There may be times when it feels stressful or overwhelming, but don’t be afraid to ask for help or support when you need it. There is always someone there to help and no challenge is too big to overcome.

Find out more about our Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship