The annual South Yorkshire Apprenticeship Awards ceremony, which takes place on Thursday 8th May 2025 at Sheffield United Football Club, celebrates the best and brightest apprentices across the region. This year two of the University’s Nursing Associate apprentices have made the shortlist; student nursing associate Emilie Littlewood and recent graduate Emily Grainger.
Nursing Associates work across all four fields of nursing - adult, children’s, mental health, and learning disability - to deliver care to patients. It is a standalone role within the nursing team, developed to bridge the gap between health care assistants and nurses, whilst also providing a route for career progression to those who wish to become registered nurses.
Emilie Littlewood, who works in respiratory care at the Northern General Hospital, was nominated by her clinical educator Tom Connelly.
Tom called Emilie a ‘deeply passionate’ student whose confidence and clinical practice has flourished throughout her studies.
Even while facing the significant personal challenge of her mother's terminal cancer diagnosis and subsequent passing, Emilie has displayed remarkable dedication to her studies and clinical work, driven by her desire to make her mother proud.
Tom Connelly
Lead Clinical Educator, the University of Sheffield
He added: "Emily has persevered through difficult times, demonstrating immense strength and determination. This nomination aims to recognize her achievements and make her proud.”
Emilie described her nomination as ‘really lovely’, and ‘couldn’t quite believe’ that she’d been shortlisted. She said: “I’ve always thought that I was okay at my job, but I didn’t think I was anything particularly special. But to hear Tom say that not many people could do what I’m doing given everything I’ve been through was really nice. I know my mum would be proud.”
Fellow nominee and recently qualified nursing associate, Emily Grainger, works at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, where she supports children and young people with life-shortening and life-threatening conditions. Emily began her apprenticeship in 2023, after successfully applying for the hospice’s first funded nursing associate apprenticeship post. She is a passionate advocate for paediatric end of life care and is keen to train as a nurse in the future to progress her career.
Emily explained: “I think it's such a magical thing that we get to do at Bluebell Wood. A lot of people think it's very sad or that they could never work there, but it’s such a happy place. I feel very very lucky to have been nominated; I enjoy my job so much that I don’t feel I really deserve to have been shortlisted.”
Sophie Morton, Emily’s clinical educator at the University, put Emily forward for the award after witnessing the care she provided to patients and their families. She described Emily as going ‘above and beyond’ in her role, a comment which has been mirrored by Emily’s colleagues and placement supervisors:
She said: “Emily has worked hard to find ways to improve engagement and patient experiences for the children staying at Bluebell Wood. Emily has gone above and beyond her role to deliver training sessions to colleagues, with a particular focus on sensory regulation and communication techniques. She has also volunteered to take part in a working group focusing on different ways to communicate with patients such as eye gaze and Makaton. She is a great role model for apprentices and would be a fantastic candidate to receive an apprenticeship award.”
Judith Sephton, Programme Lead for the Student Nursing Associate Apprenticeship at the University of Sheffield, said: “I’m incredibly proud to see the University of Sheffield’s health apprentices represented in the Health and Public Service Apprentice of the Year shortlist. Emily and Emilie have both shown outstanding passion for and dedication to their respective roles, and the apprenticeship team at the School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery will be rooting for them on Thursday 8th May!”
