Students welcomed to first careers event at new hospital

Over 140 students were invited to Smethwick to learn about the range of jobs the NHS has to offer, at the first careers event held at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

(from L-R) Vi Tran and Rama Ndiaye, two students who attended the career's event

The Insight into NHS Careers event was hosted by the widening participation team at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust and showcased the different clinical and non-clinical roles available within the NHS.

Students from high schools and colleges across the local area, aged between 14-18, were invited to the event and given the chance to speak to staff and find out more about the NHS role that interested them the most.

The event featured a career marketplace, with staff from a range of departments on hand to talk about their roles and to give advice on how to find a career within healthcare.

Young students practice suturing at a career stall ran by medicine professionals

There were also stalls from two of the Trust’s Learning Campus partners, Sandwell College and Wolverhampton University, offering students advice on health and social care-related courses in further and higher education.

The widening participation team at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, who organised the event

Vi Tran, aged 16, attends Sixth Form at King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls. She said “I’ve always had a strong interest in medicine but I wasn’t sure what pathway to take, so I thought coming here would be really helpful to find out what options are available to me.

“The staff have been lovely, and I’ve met new people and learnt a lot.”

Four expert panels from Allied Health Professionals, nursing and midwifery, medicine and wider healthcare were also held throughout the day, giving students an overview of their teams and opening up to Q&A sessions.

Maxine Griffiths, widening participation manager and apprenticeship lead said: “It’s been great to give students the chance to look around the new hospital and engage with staff from a range of backgrounds.

“We have lots of career opportunities for young people at the Trust, including apprenticeships, work experience and volunteering and I hope that this event has inspired them to consider applying and take that first step to becoming part of our future workforce.”