Soon to be 60, Jennifer Savage is proudly marking a personal and professional milestone: qualifying as a registered nurse through the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA) route with Birmingham City University (BCU), in partnership with South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT). Her journey into nursing has been far from conventional, but her story is one of determination, humility, and a deep commitment to care.
Jennifer began her healthcare journey working in nursing homes, supporting people with complex conditions such as multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, and dementia. She juggled her shifts around raising her daughter, while her partner worked away. “I fitted that in around family life,” she explains. “My partner worked away a lot, so I was responsible for caring for our daughter.” As her daughter grew up and became more independent, Jennifer decided it was time to explore hospital-based care. She joined Warwick Hospital as a healthcare assistant on an acute medical ward—and something clicked. “I was just grabbed by it,” she says, recalling how the fast-paced environment reignited her passion for hands-on care.
Soon after, Jennifer was encouraged to apply for the Nursing Associate programme and qualified in 2021. With growing confidence, she made the decision to continue her development and ‘top up’ to become a Registered Nurse through the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship (RNDA) route. “The opportunity to do the top-up course to Band 5 is a privilege,” she says. “It’s been incredible.”
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Her achievement is made even more powerful by the fact that she never imagined this path would be open to her. Growing up in a coal-mining family as one of seven children, university felt out of reach. “Back in the day when I left school, only the posh kids went to university,” she reflects. There were moments when self-doubt weighed heavily on Jennifer, impacting her confidence and making her question whether she truly belonged in academic spaces.
But Jennifer persisted. She approached each stage of her training with commitment a desire to be the best carer she could be. “I never dreamt I would get this opportunity… It’s surreal, it really is,” she says.
Now, as she approaches her 60th birthday and celebrates becoming a registered nurse, Jennifer has this message for others who may be unsure whether they’re capable of making such a leap: “I’d say to anybody who gets the opportunity to take this course, this route into nursing—grab it.”
Jennifer’s journey shows that it's never too late to learn, grow, and achieve your goals. Her story is a reminder that great nurses aren’t defined by age or background—they’re defined by heart, resilience, and courage.
