This week, NHS Lanarkshire is proud to mark Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2026, celebrating the contribution apprentices make across our services and the important role apprenticeships play in developing our future workforce.
Modern Apprenticeships are a key part of our employability approach, allowing people to earn while they learn, gain recognised qualifications, and develop valuable skills while contributing to services that support patients and communities every day.
Nicole Grant, Senior Employability Advisor and Job Coach Lead, said: “Scottish Apprenticeship Week gives us a chance to celebrate the achievements of our apprentices and the real impact they make across NHS Lanarkshire.
“Apprenticeships allow people to develop confidence, gain practical experience and discover career paths that are right for them. We are incredibly proud to support apprentices as they grow and progress within our organisation. The Employability Team offer pastoral support to guide the apprentices on their journey and bring them together for networking sessions and employability workshops to encourage peer-to-peer relationships. Our last two cohorts of apprentices have saw 100% move into positive destinations, with over three quarters of them choosing to stay with NHSL, which we are so proud of.’
Throughout the week, we are highlighting five apprentices whose experiences show the wide variety of opportunities available.
Sofia – Admin at Flow Navigation Centre Plus, Kirklands
Sofia began her journey as a Modern Apprentice with the District Nursing team, where she supported staff with administration tasks, triaged calls and developed a strong understanding of NHS systems and processes. Her apprenticeship helped her build confidence and develop key workplace skills, leading to progression into a Band 3 Clerical Assistant role within Flow Navigation Centre Plus.
Sofia said: “The Modern Apprenticeship has been a great experience. I felt supported throughout, with regular check-ins and encouragement from my colleagues. It helped me build confidence and develop skills I use every day in my role. I would definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about joining NHS Lanarkshire.”
Sofia says the experience helped her find a career path that suits her while contributing to services that help patients access the right support at the right time.
Hasan – Digital Operations Apprentice, Kirklands
Hasan chose a Modern Apprenticeship to gain practical workplace experience while developing IT knowledge in a real NHS setting. Working as part of the Digital Operations team has allowed him to support colleagues, troubleshoot issues and see first-hand how digital services underpin patient care.
Hasan said: “I wanted to gain real workplace experience and develop practical skills in IT. It’s been really good working with different teams, learning from others and being able to apply what I’ve learned in a real environment. I would say to future apprentices -be proactive and take ownership of your own development.”
His apprenticeship has helped him gain confidence and a clearer understanding of future opportunities within digital services.
Eilidh – Hotel Services Admin Apprentice, Kirklands
Eilidh joined NHS Lanarkshire after leaving school, wanting to learn in a workplace environment while developing practical skills. Her role within Hotel Services has allowed her to grow in confidence, become more organised and learn how to manage responsibilities within a busy team.
Eilidh said: “I wanted to learn on the job and gain real experience. I felt supported from the beginning and now feel much more confident managing my workload and prioritising tasks. My advice to anyone starting an apprenticeship would be not to be scared to ask questions -that’s how you learn.”
She says the apprenticeship has helped her develop both personally and professionally while being part of a supportive team.
Edward – Info Assistant Apprentice, Digital Services, Kirklands Hospital
Edward joined NHS Lanarkshire as an Info Assistant in Digital, looking for an opportunity to build on his IT studies while gaining practical experience. Through his apprenticeship, he has developed technical knowledge, worked on real problems and gained valuable insight into how digital systems support NHS services.
Edward said: “I wanted to do something related to my IT studies and learn new skills while working. The most rewarding part is solving problems and seeing your own improvement over time. I would tell anyone starting out not to feel pressured, everyone makes mistakes while they learn.”
Edward highlights the supportive environment and hands-on experience as key parts of his development.
Rebecca – Healthcare Support Worker with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Rebecca started her apprenticeship supporting administration and reception services at Coatbridge Health Centre, where she gained experience interacting with patients and colleagues. Through shadowing and learning more about clinical roles, she discovered an interest in patient-facing care and successfully progressed into a Healthcare Support Worker role.
Rebecca said: “My apprenticeship helped me gain real experience and discover the career path that suited me. The highlight for me was getting support to move into a role I’m really passionate about. I learned so much about communication and confidence, and I’d encourage anyone to give it a go.”
Rebecca’s journey demonstrates how apprenticeships can open doors and help people find their long-term career direction.
Investing in our future workforce
Modern Apprenticeships offer opportunities across a wide range of roles, from digital and administration to direct patient care, helping people develop skills while making a meaningful contribution to NHS Lanarkshire.
As we celebrate Scottish Apprenticeship Week, we thank all our apprentices for the enthusiasm, commitment and fresh perspectives they bring to our teams. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to our managers, buddies/mentors and supervisors as without your input and support, we would not have the programme we do now.
If you are interested in hosting an apprentice in your team, please contact: Nicole.Grant@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
