Midwife

In this role you could:

• advise pregnant people and check they are healthy
•  run classes about pregnancy and parenting
•  manage labour and deliver babies
•  advise on ways to manage pain during labour
•  give advice after the baby is born
•  visit homes to check on parents and the baby

• knowledge of medicine and dentistry
• sensitivity and understanding
• knowledge of psychology
• customer service skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You can get into this job through:

• a university degree
• an apprenticeship
• a specialist course run by a professional body

You must renew your Nursing & Midwifery Council registration every 3 years to show you're keeping your skills up to date.

You could take further training to specialise in areas like ultrasound or neonatal care.

With experience, you could become a ward manager or team leader.

You could also train to become a health visitor, a director of midwifery or midwifery consultant.