Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been named the Sheffield College Employer of the Year at the 2026 Apprenticeship Celebration Awards.
The award recognises the Trust's success in providing apprenticeship opportunities to individuals who may not traditionally consider healthcare roles. This includes young people, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities or learning difficulties.
The PROUD apprenticeship programme is delivered in partnership with The Sheffield College and combines the Level 2 Customer Service Practitioner Standard with a bespoke, values-led learning experience aligned to the Trust's PROUD values: Patient First, Respectful, Ownership, Unity and Deliver.
Unlike traditional NHS work-based training, the scheme allows apprentices to gain real-world healthcare experience and strong employer support so that they can understand the impact of compassionate customer service on patient care whilst continuing their academic learning and developing workplace skills.
Real-world learning
In the programme apprentices participate in immersive activities such as behind-the-scenes hospital tours, secret shopper exercises, complaints simulations, career development workshops and personality profiling to build confidence, communication skills and professional capability.
Recruitment to the programme, which was launched in 2024, has gone from strength to strength, with 20 apprentices currently in training.
Outcomes have also been excellent, with 9 out of 14 apprentices from the first group enrolled into the programme passing their end point assessment and 100% from the second group achieving a distinction.
Inclusive supported apprenticeship
The team have also widened participation by partnering with organisations such as The King's Trust and Jobcentre Plus.
Following its success, the programme continues to expand. A fourth apprenticeship group is planned for September 2026, and a new Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship, Aspire, launched in May 2026 for existing staff.
Together, these initiatives will create clear career progression routes and support the development of a more inclusive and sustainable NHS workforce.
Lyndsey Herdman, Apprenticeships Lead, Healthcare Careers Team, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Our organisation has always recognised the value of investing in skills development across our workforce. Apprentices represent the future workforce, bringing enthusiasm and fresh ideas.
"It's absolutely fantastic to win this award. We've built a great relationship with The Sheffield College and its apprenticeship team and look forward to continued partnership."
