Career pathways

In a quickly evolving health service individuals may have a number of careers in their lifetime – and not all want to progress vertically through a career structure. Some may want to extend their practice and go in a different direction.

It’s a major benefit of working in the health sector. There’s immense potential for flexibility, driven by service and patient need, and supported by a career framework that allows for flexible career pathways and progression.

A career pathway begins by finding out

• What kind of work an individual wants to do
• What an organisation needs
• Opportunities for flexible progression so an individual can progress upwards or sideways.
  

Skills for Health is supporting career pathways through the common currency of competences, which focus on the needs of patients and help to describe what is needed rather than describing where or by whom.

Find out more about competences
Explore our careers information and advice section
Find out about Career Frameworks