Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologist (Apprenticeship)

Job overview

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience, training and a formal qualification in applied psychology. The successful candidates will complete a funded 18 month Masters in Clinical Associate Psychology and end point assessment with Nottingham Trent University and will be employed by and complete a training placement with Sheffield Health Partnership University Trust (SHPU).

CAPs are an exciting new profession whose training has been approved as a Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship. During your training phase, you will be undertaking the MSc Programme, delivered using a blended learning approach with both face to face and online study.

5 Trainee CAP Apprenticeship Posts are available for the 2026 intake, which will be placed across the following services:

Adult Acute Inpatient Services & the Primary Care Mental Health Team.

During the apprenticeship phase, whilst undertaking the MSc, you will be remunerated at Band 5. Your MSc registration and course fees will be paid for you, so in return, once qualified and your apprenticeship has been successfully completed, we ask that you commit to stay with SHPU for at least a further two years, during which time we will remunerate you at a Band 6.

For further information on the Nottingham Trent University CAP training, refer to: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/course/social-sciences/app/clinical-associate-in-psychology-apprenticeship-level-7#entry-requirements

Main duties of the job

As a Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologist (CAP), your role will be split between undertaking the Masters programme and working in your allocated service, to develop the clinical skills and competencies essential to the role. Teaching will be facilitated with a mixture of online teaching and in person teaching blocks. Hours of study will vary across the programme, but will be equivalent to 7.5 hours per week. Post holders may be required to travel locally to attend the training in small groups for some sessions.

Trainee CAPs will be supported to develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours required to integrate psychotherapeutic models and to work in a personalised and effective manner, supporting individuals with complex mental health needs. The Masters programme is competency based, focusing on a range of clinical skills; including assessment, formulation, delivering evidence-based psychological interventions, service evaluation and research.

The CAP Apprenticeship Standards can be viewed here: https://skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0820-v1-1

Applicants will need to be self-motivated, have significant prior experience of working in a mental health setting (or other relevant person-facing roles) and have achieved a minimum of a 2:1 Honours Degree in Psychology from a BPS accredited programme (or 2.2 accredited Honours Degree in Psychology with additional appropriate experience to be assessed).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job responsibilities

The Apprenticeship requirements are:

• Have lived in UK / EU / EEA for 3 years
• Not currently on publicly funded training
• 2 years post any publicly funded psychology training as stipulated by HEE (https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/mental-health/psychological-professions/funding-psychological-professions-training-programmes)
• Maths and English at level 2
• BPS graduate basis for eligibility (you have covered this one already)

Job Description Overview:

• To understand a structured programme of learning including personal study, academic work, research, placement learning and assessment leading to the award of the end point assessment and the MSc in Clinical Associate Psychology.
• To undertake specialised psychological assessments, treatments and other types of clinical intervention appropriate to this level of training with individual clients/ groups of clients and research activity within the service you work in.
• To become able to work independently, initially under supervision, on a day-to-day basis. This work will be supervised and reviewed regularly with supervision usually being offered by a qualified Clinical Psychologist.
• This Masters training is organised and managed through a partnership between the University of Plymouth and Sheffield Health and Social Care Foundation Trust (SHSC). Trainees are sponsored and employed by SHSC where they complete all training. MSc trainees are required to fulfil both academic and clinical requirements, including the end point assessment in order to progress in training to qualify.
• Trainee Clinical Associate Psychologists are required to abide by the BPS Code of Conduct and meet induction standards, and NHS employers are required to abide by the Code of Practice for employers.
• The trainee will receive supervision within the job role to ensure that they meet the required levels of competence to complete the MSc course and the end point assessment.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Evidence of capacity to undertake research at postgraduate level
• Graduate level knowledge of psychological theory and research/ including its clinical application in mental health settings
• Awareness and understanding of professional level/ requirements of role
• Excellent communication skills; both written and verbal
• Ability to communicate in a clear compassionate, confident and empathetic way with people experiencing complex mental health problems
• Ability to work independently following supervisory guidelines
• IT skills to a level required to work regularly with Microsoft Office packages and local specialist packages as required

Training and Qualifications

Essential

• Single or Joint Honours Degree in Psychology (Minimum 2:2 classification)
• Eligible for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) of the British Psychological Society via qualification recognition or by alternative route.

Experience

Essential

• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Ability to cope with pressurised emotive working environment.
• Substantial experience with adult or older adults who have complex psychological needs
• Proven ability and experience of managing the demands of working with people who have mental health needs.

Other

Essential

• Flexible approach to working, balancing academic and clinical demands
• Awareness of own competency limitations
• Committed to provide 24 months service to the Trust post qualification
• Demonstrates a strong preference to work in mental health settings with people who are experiencing mental health problems.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.