Graduating into Uncertainty: Where are the Jobs for New Midwives?!
"What else can I do after I graduate if I can't get a job as a midwife?"
It is an unbelievable situation isn't it? We all know the world needs midwives, and students work their arses off for three years to get there (sacrificing paid income and time with their families) giving more than 2,300 hours of physical, emotional clinical labour into NHS wards (if they even manage to be accepted to study in the first place!) They push through difficult circumstances to qualify - only to be met with trusts telling them there are no jobs for them.
I talked to 3rd year student midwife Emily to hear what it actually feels like to face graduating into this situation, how her cohort is coping with the uncertainty, and if there are any reassurances to give to those starting this year.
Meet Emily, 3rd year student midwife
Thank you for letting me quiz you about the baffling job situation!
Let’s start with my favourite starter question - when did you first decide that you wanted to be a midwife, and what led to your decision?
I have never known what I wanted to do “when I grow up”. I was working in an office job that was flexible and worked well, fitting around the needs of my family which I liked, but didn’t love. When my children got to secondary school age I knew I wanted to invest some time in my future and find something I was passionate about.
After some conversations with family and friends, and thinking back to the births of my children, I knew that I wanted to be a midwife, helping women and families to have positive pregnancy and birth experiences. It wasn’t something I always wanted to do like some people, but once the seed was planted the idea grew and the more I thought about it, the more I knew it was what I should be doing.
What did your journey look like to get accepted onto your course?
I applied for university in 2022 following completion of an Access to Higher Education course and did not get offered an interview. I was gutted. So I took a step back and decided to work on my application.
I knew it was a competitive course and I needed to stand out. So I did some volunteer work in a care home and trained as a breastfeeding peer supporter. I also worked on my personal statement and when I applied again in 2023 I was offered an interview. I originally applied to start in September 2024 but when I was offered a place to start sooner, it seemed like it was meant to be. I started my midwifery degree in January 2024 and haven’t looked back!
The Current Landscape & Expectations
Q. When you first started your midwifery degree, what was your assumption about job availability after graduation?
I, along with the rest of the general population, recognised that there is a shortage of midwives and so assumed that a job at the end would be fairly easy to come by. The cohorts before me were sometimes guaranteed jobs and the ones that weren’t seemed to get jobs quite easily so it wasn’t something that I was worried about.
Q. How and when did you first realise that the job market for Newly Qualified Midwives was changing or becoming more competitive in your area?
When I was in my second year, I became aware of some of the conversations the third years were having about the availability of jobs. I was quite surprised as I didn’t realise it was a problem, but the more conversations I had with them and the more information I got, it became clear that they were not worried about completing the degree, they were worried about getting a job at the end of it. There was a part of me that thought it was a fleeting issue and it would be resolved by the time I qualified, but I saw more and more discussion online, and then with it hitting the headlines I realised that it was actually a national problem.
Q. For students who might not fully understand the current situation, how would you describe what’s happening with NQM recruitment right now?
There is a well-recognised national shortage of midwives, yet hospital trusts do not currently have the required funding to recruit the additional staff they need.
"One in three newly qualified midwives had been unable to secure a post within six months of qualifying"
Earlier this year the Royal College of Midwives reported that one in three newly qualified midwives had been unable to secure a post within six months of qualifying, and of those actively seeking work, 61% were not employed at all.
Following campaigning, the government announced plans to fund 1,000 more midwives by the end of 2026. This seems like a positive step but it remains to be seen how it will impact current students.
The situation is further compounded by the nature of advertised posts when they do become available. New qualified roles are often heavily oversubscribed, remain open for only a few hours, and in many cases are 12-month fixed term roles. This does not provide a sustainable long-term solution to the staffing crisis. This may not be the case, but this is my own interpretation based on the information currently available.
Q. How has this job situation impacted the general mood or conversations among your cohort and final-year friends?
For the second half of second year and the first half of third year, the job situation seemed to be at the forefront of every conversation. It was constantly on our minds, and was a prominent topic in the group chat. As we have entered the last few months of our course, and edge closer to actually needing to secure a job, it seems to be discussed less, even though undoubtedly we are all still thinking about it.
I think this is due to the fact that it brings everyone down. We still share information, and job adverts when we see them, but I get the feeling that it feels like too much pressure to be discussing it all the time.
This feeling is made worse by the fact that most people you speak to, upon finding out you are nearing the end of your third year, ask you that burning question “Do you have a job yet?” followed by an awkward conversation about the situation facing midwifery students nationally at the moment.
Q. As a student who has put so much energy, passion, and shift work into training, how have you navigated the emotional side of the job uncertainty?
I have thrown myself into finishing my degree. I have nine weeks of placement, an assignment and a dissertation to complete, as well as the all important forty births! I am keeping my ear to the ground, and making sure that my application is ready to go if and when jobs come up, but I am trying to keep my focus on what is directly in my path.
I am lucky in that I have an incredible support system in my husband and children, and if I’m feeling down about it they can soon have me smiling again.
Mindset, Practical Prep & Looking Forward
Q. What practical steps are you and your cohort taking to prepare for applications and interviews in this current climate?
When I mentioned before about job posts being oversubscribed, I am talking about each position having hundreds of applicants. All of these marvellous people, each with a midwifery qualification, all bringing different experiences and skills, competing for the same job.
We have to do what we can to stand out in the crowd, which starts with a glowing personal statement. This is what the recruiters will use to decide who to interview. In addition to this, each of us have, in our own way, taken steps to ensure we stand out.
For me personally, this is taking on extra responsibilities such as being student rep for my cohort and being a mentor for the students in the years below me. Some students have worked in obstetric care in other roles such as maternity support workers or healthcare assistants to get experience of the environment. Others have done additional training courses, or focused on complementary skills. All of these things have been done alongside a very full-on university schedule.
Q. What support or guidance have you had from your university or local trusts for post-graduation opportunities?
Our university, and in particular the individual lecturers have done what they can to help us navigate the current climate. They have given us support with applications, personal statements and interview skills. They have tried to reassure us that the world of midwifery has these stagnant periods, and there will also be times where the opposite is true; there have always been and will always be peaks and troughs.
The trusts we train at have been good at keeping us informed about when jobs may be released, enabling us to prepare our applications. Everyone recognises that this is a stressful situation and have done what they can to support students.
Q. What do you think NHS trusts or decision-makers need to understand about the importance of keeping and hiring newly qualified midwives right now?
This is a big question. I personally think that unless you have been through a midwifery degree, you do not fully understand the sacrifices that we make to complete it, be these financial, emotional, physical or otherwise. You have to put your whole self into this degree, and you come out battle-scarred before you even properly begin your career.
"You have to put your whole self into this degree, and you come out battle-scarred before you even properly begin your career."
Newly qualified midwives are the future of midwifery. We want to work. We are enthusiastic, optimistic and committed to making positive change. All we are asking for is the opportunity to do so. We want to learn from the midwives who have come before us, carrying forward their skill, wisdom and courage and we want to keep caring for women and families in the deeply hands-on, compassionate way that midwives have done for generations.
Reassurance & Advice for new Students
Q. What message of reassurance would you give to first and second-year student midwives who are reading about the job situation and feeling anxious about their own futures?
I would say the same thing to them that has been said to me by many different people at different stages of their midwifery career, the world of midwifery has peaks and troughs. This is not the first time there have been issues like this one. Things will improve. If you have the passion and drive to start your midwifery journey, then you will get there in the end.
Q. What is keeping your passion for midwifery strong despite these challenges?
The thing that has sustained me throughout all of this is the women I care for. I really enjoy the academic side of this degree, but it is the time in placement that I adore. Watching women become mothers or grow their family is so special. Being able to meet and care for strong, powerful women every day is magical and that is what keeps me going. I am meant to do this.
Students Taking Action
It’s not just graduating third-years who are feeling the anxiety. Second-year student midwife Ell shared this photo of her and her peer Izzie standing outside Parliament, and explained how the job crisis is impacting students further down the line:
"Although I'm going into my second year, I'm still fearful I won't be able to land a job, they're few and far between currently and student midwives put so much time, energy and money into this vocation. To not even be guaranteed a job at the end is so sad. I feel so sorry for the current third years and aware the situation may change when I qualify, however it doesn't change the fact there are thousands of new midwives unable to work." - Ell
Sign the petition for more funding and see details of future protests at Fund Future Midwives #WeWantToWork #FundFutureMidwives
Thank you so much to Emily for contributing her student midwife story and sharing such an important issue - not just for students and midwives - but for all the women giving birth in this country.
If you have a student midwife story to share, please let me know - I'd love to share it.
