Horden nursing assistant shares how apprenticeships upskill workers to progress to mark National Apprenticeship Week
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To mark the 18th annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) between February 10-16, Letizia, aged 27, has been discussing her own apprenticeship journey.
Letizia completed her Level 2 health and social care qualification, Level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship and HC-One’s care assistant development programme to become a nursing assistant.
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Hide AdLetizia has now enrolled onto a Level 5 nursing associate apprenticeship, which once completed, will enable her to become a National Midwifery and Nursing Council-registered nurse associate.


Before joining the social care sector, Letizia attended East Durham College and gained a diploma in animal management.
Letizia subsequently took a change in direction and got a job as a domiciliary care assistant working within the community, soon realising her passion for care and how determined she was to provide a high standard of care and support.
Letizia began her career progression journey at HC-One when she joined the team at Grampian Court Care Home, in Peterlee, as a carer.
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Hide AdLetizia completed her Level 2 Health and Social Care apprenticeship which supported her promotion to senior carer.
She continued her development journey following a transfer to HC-One’s nursing care home Jack Dormand as she aspired to move into a clinical role, completing safer people handling and enhanced medication training before embarking on HC-One’s bespoke care assistant development programme alongside her Level 3 lead adult care worker apprenticeship in June 2021.
This resulted in her being promoted to nursing assistant where she was able to practice her clinical skills.
When HC-One offered colleagues the opportunity to undertake a nursing associate apprenticeship with the Open University in February 2023, Letizia jumped at the chance and is now nearing the end of her two-year apprenticeship programme.
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Hide AdLetizia doesn’t want her apprenticeship journey to end there as once completed she hopes to then move onto her registered nurse degree apprenticeship “top up” in October 2026.
The benefit of training to become a registered nurse through the apprenticeship route for many people is that it offers a more flexible and financially accessible pathway compared to traditional university routes.
Letizia’s apprenticeship highlight so far has been completing her placements, as this has allowed her to study and experience new environments and fields as a student, whilst continuing to have the support of her employer.
Letizia commented: “There are lots of progression and development opportunities available through completing an apprenticeship. Completing an apprenticeship has helped me learn new skills and knowledge.
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Hide Ad“Choosing to do an apprenticeship has helped me to improve my skills and knowledge and to allow me to provide high quality care by understanding the theory behind it. I have gained many skills so far including clinical skills and personal skills such as communication and teamwork.
Jack Dormand home manager Marie Shillaw stated: “We recognise how important apprenticeships are in supporting our colleagues to improve and grow their careers in care as well as offering the chance to take a change in career direction.
“Investing in our existing workforce through our nursing apprenticeships means that we are growing our own social care nursing workforce and both reward and retaining our dedicated colleagues.
“I am extremely proud of what Letizia and our other apprentices have achieved at HC-One over the past year and look forward to celebrating their success once they have completed their apprenticeships.”