| Summary: | The Royal College of Midwives estimates that there is a shortfall of approximately 3500 full-time midwives in England and, with one-third of practising midwives aged 50 or more, it is evident that recruitment and retention are key to the ongoing success of maternity services. The need for high-quality care is especially acute, given that women are presenting with increasingly complex medical, social and obstetric backgrounds. The role of higher education institutions is not only to ensure student midwives meet the requirements of the EU Directive 2005/36/EC and achieve the Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards, but also to support them to apply for jobs, navigate the recruitment process and understand their legal, ethical and professional responsibilities on qualification. This article will discuss an e-module that was introduced at the University of Northampton, entitled ‘Becoming a midwife’. This module adopted an innovative approach to learning, teaching and assessment in relation to student midwives' employability, social awareness and preparedness for professional practice on qualification.
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