Career Suggestion

Midwife

Midwives support pregnant people and their babies before, during and after childbirth.

Average salary (a year)

£32000.0 to £48000.0 (starter to experienced)

Typical hours (a week)

37.0 to 40.0

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

You can get into this job through:

  • a university degree
  • an apprenticeship
  • a specialist course run by a professional body

University

You can do a degree in midwifery that is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council .

If you already have a degree that is not in midwifery, you can do a postgraduate midwifery course to become a midwife.

You may be able to get extra student financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund .

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science

  • 2 or 3 A levels, including a science, or a level 3 diploma or access to higher education in health, science or nursing

  • a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • NHS Learning Support Fund|https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/

Apprenticeship

You can apply to do a Midwife Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.

This can take around 4 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and study at an approved university.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Volunteering

Volunteering in the NHS is a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.

Other Routes

If you're a registered adult nurse you may be able to take a conversion course to become a midwife. This usually takes between 18 and 24 months.

More Information

Registrations

you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Career Tips

You would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.

Further Information

You can find more on how to become a midwife from the Royal College of Midwives and Health Careers .

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of medicine and dentistry
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • knowledge of psychology
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to work well with others
  • counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

Day-to-day tasks

As a midwife, you could:

  • support people and their families during pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period
  • run classes on pregnancy and parenting skills
  • manage labour and deliver babies in hospital or at home
  • give advice about pain management during labour
  • respond quickly and safely to changing circumstances during birth
  • visit homes to check on parents and the new baby
  • maintain accurate clinical records in line with data regulations
  • keep up to date with current clinical good practices

Working environment

You could work at a client's home, at a health centre, at a GP practice or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.

You must renew your Nursing & Midwifery Council registration every 3 years to show you're keeping your skills up to date.

You could take further training to specialise in areas like home births or intensive neonatal care.

With experience, you could become a team leader or ward manager.

You could also train to become a health visitor, a director of midwifery or midwifery consultant.

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