15 months after graduating*
100% of our midwifery graduates are in highly skilled work or further study
99% of our midwifery graduates agree that their current activity is meaningful
98% of our midwifery graduates say their degree was a formal requirement for their job or gave them an advantage
Studying midwifery at the University of Plymouth will enable you to commence a rewarding career within the health sector. With an ongoing demand for midwives across the UK, employment prospects for midwifery graduates remain very good.
As the healthcare sector moves towards more integrated, home and community-based services, the range of opportunities available for newly qualified midwives has never been greater. Our midwifery graduates work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, GP practices, birthing centres, children’s centres and in continuity of care teams. Most midwives are employed by the NHS, however opportunities also exist in private hospitals, independent practices and the armed forces.
As your career develops, you could take on a specialist role. Specialisms exist in a range of settings, including antenatal screening, breastfeeding advice, home birthing, intensive care, neonatal care, fetal medicine or public health for example. With experience you could progress into a leadership role, such as team manager, unit manager or consultant midwife. Alternatively, you could take on an education role, leading on the training and development of midwives within the NHS or training student midwives in higher education. Opportunities also exist in clinical research and with training you could move into other professions such as health visiting. Working overseas is a further option that some graduates move into.
Researching your career options
Midwifery can be an incredibly rewarding career where you can make a real difference to people’s lives. At the same time it can be physically demanding and emotionally challenging. Additionally, given the diversity of career options within the profession, it is important to research and explore these fully so that you can make informed decisions about your future.
The following websites will help you with your decision making:
Gaining work experience
Pre-entry experience in a caring role within health and social care is an advantage.
Relevant experience could include supporting teenage parents, working with breastfeeding groups or charities dealing with issues such as bereavement or miscarriage. If this is not possible, then employment or voluntary experience in a different setting will provide you with transferable skills that will enhance your application.
Employment opportunities
Below is a snapshot of what University of Plymouth midwifery graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation:
- Community Midwife
- Midwife
- Preceptorship Midwife
- Registered Midwife
- Staff Nurse
Employers
Our graduates are found in most NHS Trusts as well as the private healthcare sector.
- Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Great Western Hospital
- John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
- NHS Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton
- Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
- Oxford University Hospital Trust
- Raigmore Hospital
- Royal Bolton Hospital
- Royal Cornwall Hospital
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
- Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
- Somerset Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Southmead Hospital, North Bristol NHS Trust
- St Richard's Hospital – Western Sussex Hospitals
- Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
- Yeovil District Hospital
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys covering the three years of 2018/19 – 2020/21. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.
