As thousands of students receive their GCSE results today, NHS leaders in the Black Country are calling on young people who may be thinking about their next steps to consider a career in the health and care sector.
There are many different opportunities for students, with over 350 job roles available within the Black Country Health and Social Care System.
For young people who decide that further education is not for them, there are vocational routes into employment which provide them with the option to ’earn and learn’ by undertaking an apprenticeship programme with a local employer.
Apprenticeships are paid jobs that offer hands-on work experience alongside off-the-job training and education. In health and care they offer a route into a variety of different career paths, ranging from frontline healthcare to business, management and creative positions.
Jonathan Fellows, Chair of the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board, said: “Well done to all the students who got their results today. It’s been a tough couple of years through the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased isolation, limited chances to see friends face to face and often remote learning, all of which may have impacted some academically.
“However, if anything this will have made you more resilient so if you didn’t get the grades you were expecting, don’t panic. In fact, it's never too early to start thinking about a career in the NHS and there's something for everyone with the right values and skills.
“There are plenty of ways to get started in one of the more than 350 different NHS careers. You’ll find apprenticeships, volunteering opportunities, and if you are thinking of going to university to study one of our amazing undergraduate degrees, start doing some research into the qualifications you’ll need.
“Whether it is a medicine, nursing or healthcare science degree, now is a good time to make sure you’ll be studying the qualifications you need at sixth form or college.”
The Prince’s Trust are also working in partnership with the Black Country Health and Social Care System to deliver the ‘Get Into’ course.
The course lasts 4-6 weeks and covers everything from fundamental sector training to work placements with hospitals, care providers, and other sector employers. It aims to give young people a real insight into what working in a Health and Social Care environment is really like, whilst also helping them to prepare for job interviews.
Beth Griffin, 19, from Sandwell, gained a “foot in the door” by completing a placement with RWT sponsored by the Prince’s Trust. She is now looking forward to beginning a career with the Trust as a healthcare assistant or theatre support assistant.
She said: “I left school in 2018 and had no qualifications, no experience, had struggled with my mental health and often doubted myself. My options were never really spoken about, so I was lost, but I wanted to work with people within the NHS.
“It has proved to me that I can do what I put my mind to, and I’m sure if I can, others can. I am hoping to join the Trust and start more courses and stay working within the NHS now.”
Alan Duffell, Chief People Officer for the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and Workforce Lead for the Black Country Integrated Care System, said: “I would like to personally congratulate all those who have just received their GCSE results. Although it was a very long time ago when I picked up my results, I still recall the nervous excitement and thinking about what career path this will take me on.
“Having now spent 20 years in the NHS, I would encourage anyone to consider us as a career option. There is a vast range of roles and careers available in the NHS, spanning from Physiotherapist to Finance Manager, Radiographer to HR Advisor, IT Specialist to Occupational Therapist, and lots in between, not to mention nursing and medical roles.
“So, please consider the NHS when thinking about your future career, it just might be the start of something really exciting and rewarding.”
To find job opportunities and apprenticeships that are available with NHS organisations in the Black Country, search “NHS careers”.
To find out more about the Prince’s Trust courses, visit the Prince's Trust website.
