NHSScotland Careers
14 December 2023
•4 min read
Who is the NHSScotland support workforce?
The support workforce is essential to the running of the health service in Scotland. It includes business, administration, estates, and facilities staff working in various locations across the NHS, including hospitals, health centres, national treatment centres, warehouses, and offices.
Support workforce roles in the NHS include the following:
- administrative assistant
- finance assistant
- porter
- mechanical engineer
- project officer
- software engineer
- security officer
- domestic assistant
Explore our careers to discover more support workforce roles.
Career planning
Assessing and evaluating your interests, skills, and experience are essential steps in the career planning process. You’ll also set career goals and implement actions to help you achieve them.
These actions may include gaining new qualifications, personal development planning, or creating a professional portfolio to demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and experience. That’s where Learning for Career Success can help!
What is Learning for Career Success?
Learning for Career Success is an online career planning resource from NHS Education for Scotland. If you’re in the support workforce, you can use it to do the following:
- Explore options to develop in your current role.
- Find inspiration from others in a range of support workforce roles.
- Learn about different careers in the NHS.
If you’re a job seeker who is interested in a support services role in the NHS, you will:
- Discover career pathways suited to your interests and skills.
- Find out how you can get accreditation for your knowledge and skills through Recognition of Prior Learning.
- View vacancies across Scotland on our recruitment website.
The online resource is free and open to use for career planning.
Access Learning for Career Success.
Qualifications finder
One of the most helpful features of Learning for Career Success is the qualifications finder. You can use the tool to discover a range of qualifications and work-based learning opportunities. All you need to do is complete a short questionnaire.
Getting started
Start by selecting a job family from either business and administration or estates and facilities. If you’re undecided or want results for both job families, click unsure. At the next step, you’ll be asked about the skills you want to develop. Choose from:
- business
- people
- project
- technical
- work-based
You can also select all options, if appropriate.
Choosing subjects and qualification types
Next, you can choose the subjects you’re interested in. The list of options will vary depending on your choice at the first step.
You’ll then be asked about the type of qualification you want to achieve. Options include:
- degree
- award
- apprenticeship
- HNC or NHD
- recognised qualification
- National Certificate
- stand-alone module
Please choose all options that apply.
Qualifications and work-based learning results
Once you complete the questionnaire, the results page will present you with various qualifications and work-based learning options. You can filter them by Scottish Qualifications Authority (SCQF) level. Click on any option to access more information about the qualification on the learning provider or awarding body website.
Access the qualifications finder.
Learning hub
The learning hub is another excellent resource available on Learning for Career Success. If you’re looking for personal and professional growth support, you'll find it in the learning hub!
The resources will help and inspire you to enhance your knowledge and skills for a successful career in the NHS.
Personal Development and Performance Review (PDPR)
PDPR allows you and your manager or reviewer to discuss your work performance, achievements, and career development regularly.
You’ll find out why PDPR is essential and how it can help support your career development in the NHS.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning is a process that will help you get recognition for the knowledge and skills you’ve gained informally:
- at work
- volunteering
- studying
- participating in social activities
It’s recognised by colleges, universities, and employers.
You can use the Recognition of Prior Learning resource for career planning, to find out if you’re eligible for SCQF points, and to access qualifications.
Learn more about Recognition of Prior Learning.
Career stories
Learning for Career Success offers career stories to help you learn about different career pathways available in the support workforce. You’ll hear from staff in various roles to inspire you to explore options to develop in your current role.
View support workforce career stories.
Encouraging an inclusive workplace
The online resource also offers diversity and inclusion resources from NHS Education for Scotland and other providers. They will help to support you in encouraging an inclusive workplace.
Learn inclusive practices to help everyone in the workplace feel valued.
Ready to explore your options for career development in NHSScotland?
If you need help with finding work-based learning opportunities and qualifications to enhance your career, look no further than Learning for Career Success.
The new online career planning resource for the support workforce gives you access to:
- qualifications finder
- inspirational case studies from the support workforce
You'll also gain valuable insights into:
- personal development planning
- recognition of prior learning
- creating an inclusive workplace
Contact the Widening Access team at NHS Education for Scotland if you need support or want to give feedback on the Learning for Career Success website – wideningaccess@nes.scot.nhs.uk.