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Midwife

Alternative titles for this job include

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

Average salary (a year)

£27,055 Starter

to

£47,672 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

35 to 40 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a midwife

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 as long as it's 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 additional 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

Apprenticeship

You can do a midwife degree apprenticeship.

This typically takes 48 months to complete and includes learning on the job and studying 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

Volunteering

You'll find it helpful to get some paid or volunteering work in healthcare before you apply for a course.

You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator at your local NHS trust for further advice.

You can also find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT.

Other Routes

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

More Information

Registration

Career tips

When applying for degree courses and apprenticeships, you'll be expected to show an understanding of how the NHS values 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.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of medicine and neonatal care
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • knowledge of psychology
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • 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 carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • advise pregnant women and check they are healthy
  • run classes about pregnancy and parenting
  • manage labour and deliver babies
  • advise on ways to manage pain during labour
  • give advice after the baby is born
  • visit homes to check on parents and the baby

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.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

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 ultrasound or neonatal care.

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

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

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a midwife right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Access to HE Diploma (Midwifery)

  • Provider: HALESOWEN COLLEGE
  • Start date: 06 September 2023
  • Location: Halesowen

Access to Nursing and Midwifery

  • Provider: HUGH BAIRD COLLEGE
  • Start date: 05 September 2023
  • Location: Liverpool
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