Nine people working in education and career coaching have been finding out about the range of work opportunities at a Norfolk hospital.
They went ‘back to the floor’ at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn to carry out work experience placements and find out about the different options for students and jobseekers.
Representatives from the College of West Anglia, the School of Nursing, Springwood High School, Wisbech Grammar, and the Department of Work and Pensions took part.
They worked in areas like pharmacy, radiology, wards and portering.
Andrea James, Talent Engagement Lead at the QEH said: “We want to inspire people to spend some work experience time here. As one of the area’s biggest employers, we want to continue to develop a skilled locally-grown workforce and work experience is one of the first steps to achieving this.
“We want stakeholders to experience a day’s work experience with us so they are able to learn about the different careers available here and then pass this information onto their students, clients and customers.
“With first-hand experience, they can talk with passion and conviction and are best placed to explain the processes involved and what the day would be like.”
Some of the experiences
Kerry Heathcote, Deputy CEO and Vice Principal Curriculum & Quality at the College of West Anglia, spent time with The QEH palliative care team.
She said: “As a chartered psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, I have become very interested in end-of-life care in recent years. I am focused on both service-user research and the impact of highly effective practitioners.
The hospital’s children’s ward is the team Courtney Masterson spent time with. She is Work Placement and Careers Mentor at College of West Anglia and said: “As a part of CWA’s Apollo Project team, my role is all about supporting individuals into health and social care roles.
“Work experience is a big part of the learner journey and can help to inform future career choices. I am excited to have the opportunity to experience exactly what our learners will experience when they apply for work experience at The QEH, so I can better support them as they make steps towards their future careers.”
Finally, Nicky Thomson, from Springwood, worked with the pharmacy team. “I have two relevant roles at the school. I’ve recently taken over as the school’s Career Lead (Years 7-13) and I’m also the Sixth Form Academic Mentor.
“Both roles involve promoting careers to students and supporting their decision making on routes to employment. I’m also keen to engage with local employers in West Norfolk to plan careers activities and The QEH is a key stakeholder.”
