Health and life sciences covers two worlds: caring for patients in the NHS, and discovering and making medicines in pharmaceutical companies. Both use apprenticeships to train people from scratch.
Who we’ve researched
- The NHS offers apprenticeships in more than 350 careers, such as senior therapy support worker (Level 3), nursing associate (Level 5) and podiatry (Level 6). Apprenticeships are run by individual NHS employers, like hospital trusts.
- AstraZeneca runs a three-to-four-year Scientist Apprenticeship in Cambridge and Macclesfield, and an IT degree apprenticeship.
- Pfizer UK runs apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 7 in laboratory science, finance, legal, marketing and more.
Things to know
- The NHS isn’t one employer. Each trust or organisation recruits its own apprentices and sets its own requirements.
- Science roles need science. Laboratory apprenticeships usually ask for science subjects, so check each advert.
- Our NHS information covers England. The NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland runs separately.
Types of work and careers
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Nursing and patient care
Caring for patients, from support roles to nursing associate and registered nurse.
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Allied health professions
Therapy, podiatry and other professions that help people recover and stay well.
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Laboratory science
Running experiments and tests to develop and check medicines.
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Digital and data
Technology and data roles that support healthcare and research.
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Business and support
Finance, legal, marketing, project management and administration.
Compare Health and life sciences apprenticeships
A quick side-by-side of what each employer publishes. Pick a level to see what each employer offers at that level, and open a profile for the full details and sources.
All employers
| Employer | Levels | Length | Pay | Entry requirements | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca | 3–4 years | Not published | Set per role; literacy, numeracy and IT skills | Cambridge and Macclesfield | |
| NHS | 1–5 years | At least £8.00 an hour; many pay more | Depends on the role; Level 3 may need 4–5 GCSEs | NHS employers across England | |
| Pfizer UK | 12 months–5 years | Not published | Not published | Tadworth, Sandwich, Marlow and Cambridge |
Intermediate apprenticeships (Level 2)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS | 1 programme Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships | Not published | Not published | Depends on the role; Level 3 may need 4–5 GCSEs |
Advanced apprenticeships (Level 3)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS | 1 programme Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships | Not published | Not published | Depends on the role; Level 3 may need 4–5 GCSEs |
| Pfizer UK | 1 programme Apprenticeship schemes | 12 months–5 years | Not published | Not published |
Higher apprenticeships (Levels 4–5)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS | 1 programme Higher apprenticeships | Not published | Not published | Depends on the role; Level 3 may need 4–5 GCSEs |
| Pfizer UK | 1 programme Apprenticeship schemes | 12 months–5 years | Not published | Not published |
Degree apprenticeships (Levels 6–7)
| Employer | Programmes at this level | Length | Pay | Entry requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca | 2 programmes Scientist Apprenticeship; Digital and Technology Solutions degree apprenticeship | 3–4 years; 4 years | Not published | Set per role; literacy, numeracy and IT skills |
| NHS | 1 programme Degree apprenticeships | Not published | Not published | Depends on the role; Level 3 may need 4–5 GCSEs |
| Pfizer UK | 1 programme Apprenticeship schemes | 12 months–5 years | Not published | Not published |
Key figures
- NHS careers you can reach through an apprenticeship
- 350+
- Source: NHS Health Careers (opens in a new tab)
- Young scientists AstraZeneca supports each year, including apprentices
- 630+
- Source: AstraZeneca UK (opens in a new tab)
Summary
- The NHS offers apprenticeships in more than 350 careers, from Level 2 support roles to degree-level nursing and podiatry.
- Pharmaceutical companies like AstraZeneca and Pfizer run science, IT and business apprenticeships.
- Many NHS employers pay more than the minimum wage, linked to the band you're training for.
- Science apprenticeships are tied to specific sites, such as Cambridge, Macclesfield or Sandwich.
Employers we profile in this industry
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AstraZeneca
The pharmaceutical company with major UK sites in Cambridge and Macclesfield. It runs a three-to-four-year Scientist Apprenticeship and a four-year Digital and Technology Solutions degree apprenticeship with 8-month rotations.
Industry: Health and life sciences, Digital and technology -
NHS
The National Health Service, where more than 350 careers can be reached through an apprenticeship, from Level 2 support roles to Level 6 degree apprenticeships in nursing, podiatry and more. Anyone over 16 can apply.
Industry: Health and life sciences -
Pfizer UK
The pharmaceutical company, with UK sites in Surrey, Kent, Buckinghamshire and Cambridge. Its apprenticeships run from Level 3 to Level 7 and last from 12 months to five years, in science, finance, legal, marketing and more.
Industry: Health and life sciences
Sources and review
Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.