Date published: 10 July 2025
Have you dreamed of becoming a nurse but been held back for whatever reason? The Nursing Associate apprenticeship could be the stepping stone to a new career. With no course fees, you earn while you study for a foundation degree and have a guaranteed job at Mersey Care.
New horizons
Three years ago Paula was working in a school – this November she will graduate as a registered mental health nurse with a guaranteed job and no student debt.
Working as a teaching assistant in a special needs school sparked Paula’s passion for mental health care.
“As much as I loved working in a classroom, I was trying to support children who’d had very difficult experiences but felt I didn’t have the skills. I really wanted to be able to do more for them.”
Paula started a nursing degree 16 years ago but dropped out of university in her first year. With a mortgage and plans to start a family, giving up her wage to be a student again was not an option.
“When I saw the opportunity to train as a nursing associate advertised, I grabbed it with both hands! You earn while you learn and at Mersey Care and there’s a guaranteed job at the end. It was the security I needed to be able to make the leap into a whole new career.”
“I'll be the first one with a degree in my family. I feel like a great role model for my little girl and my parents are going to be so proud.”
“At first I was full of self doubt - I hadn’t written an essay in a very long time! How was I going to cope going to uni and with a baby? But I knew this time I had the drive and determination. I was more mature and in a whole different headspace.”
After completing her two year Nursing Associate foundation degree last March, Paula successfully applied to ‘top up’ her qualification to become a fully registered nurse with additional funding and support available from the Trust. With no student debt and a guaranteed job, she is due to graduate with a BSc degree in mental health nursing in November.
Career ladder
Phil’s story
Serving his local community was always one of Phil’s priorities and after working with children in a special needs school, he realised health care was his real passion. But it was during the COVID pandemic that he realised how much he had to offer.
"Working as a health care assistant during COVID made me realise what I was capable of. Even though I was community based, my clinical skills were needed on the wards. I’ve got a young family so I needed to earn a wage but I realised I was capable of achieving so much more.”
Looking for a chance to progress his career, he successfully applied for a student nursing associate position with Mersey Care. After working in the team four days a week with one day at university, he now has a foundation degree and is loving his job as a nursing associate in the School Health Team
The qualification includes learning about all four fields of nursing (adult, children’s, mental health, and learning disability) but student nursing associates in this trust are based in the team which will employ them when they are qualified. Philip thinks there are huge advantages to this. “You want to hit the ground running on your very first day, so everyone you work with really invests in your development. My manager and our educational lead were always on the look out for the latest training and extra learning opportunites to bring out the very best in me.”
Phil says the support he’s received has helped him make a real difference from day one to the families who need his support. Now he’s looking to the future. “It was a lot to juggle at the time but I’ve had a fantastic opportunity to develop my career. My ambition is to specialise in children’s nursing. The foundation was a great start to build on and achieve my full potential.”
Angela Charles is Mersey Care’s Practice Education Facilitator supporting Student Nursing Associates at Liverpool John Moores and Edge Hill universities. She says,
“So many of our students are people who never saw themselves going to university but often have years of experience and knowledge to draw on. This qualification is an incredible opportunity for them and the Trust - investing in their future together.”