A regional college is expanding its partnership work with the NHS as Hertfordshire looks to tackle a significant shortage of health and social care professionals.
The latest Hertfordshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) identifies healthcare as one of the county’s most urgent recruitment priorities, estimating the sector employs around 28,500 fewer people than would be expected based on the national average. It also highlights vacancy rates above 10% in some NHS clinical areas.
The findings underline the scale of the workforce challenge across the wider care system and the growing importance of closer collaboration between employers and education providers.
West Herts College Group, which has campuses in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and Luton, has been working with West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and other healthcare organisations to develop training aligned to employer needs.
One initiative, the NHS Career Gateway programme, was created to better prepare new recruits for frontline healthcare roles. Participants spent their first six weeks in paid employment completing practical training in the College’s industry-standard Training Ward before moving into clinical settings.
The programme was designed to build confidence, develop core skills and reduce early attrition by giving new starters more support before entering frontline environments.
Gill Worgan CBE (pictured, above), Principal and CEO of West Herts College Group, said colleges have a vital role to play in addressing workforce shortages by working directly with employers to create training that reflects operational needs.
“Our partnership with West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust shows what’s possible when employers and education providers work together,” she said.
The College has also invested in specialist facilities, including its Patient Care Training Centre, where learners can develop practical skills in realistic healthcare settings.
Alex Paice, Associate Director of People at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said the partnership is built around shared goals and a commitment to workforce development.
For care providers facing persistent recruitment and retention pressures, the initiative offers a useful model for strengthening local talent pipelines.
By combining practical training, employer input and salaried routes into care careers, partnerships of this kind could help new entrants transition more successfully into frontline roles while supporting longer-term workforce resilience across health and social care.
