We are proud to announce that the 350+ NHS Careers Programme has won two Career Development Awards at the Career Development Institute’s annual showcase.
We won Best Careers Programme Pre-16 Education and Innovative Employer Engagement Activity in the ceremony on 26 June. As well as our team leading hundreds of in-school careers sessions for the under 16s, the awards recognised the innovative ways we create exceptional experiences for students, including the creation of our ‘operating theatre’ hub at HSDC Alton, which provides an immersive environment for T Level and A Level students to learn about all the NHS careers that contribute to a successful operation.
Our programme helps young people shape a future career in the NHS, regardless of their background or whether they will go to university. Much of our team’s time is spent in settings for children with additional needs, including SEND schools and Pupil Referral Units, where young people are able to take part in a range of practical tasks like preparing a meal with NHS chefs or taking part in operating theatre tasks with surgeons and Operating Department Practitioners
The judges said: “This project has the edge in terms of innovation, best practice and sustainability. We were very impressed with how the project was raising awareness amongst both young people and teachers about the huge range of NHS careers and were proactively reaching out to marginalised groups.”
Kat Millmore-Davies, 350+ Education Outreach Lead, says: “I’m so proud of what the team have achieved in the short space of time since we launched the programme in September 2021, just as the pandemic was coming to an end. We wanted young people to be able to imagine a career in the NHS, which had really grown close to people’s hearts during that time. Our amazing teams are out working in schools, colleges and different education settings every week, bringing their roles alive for the children and young people. A huge thank you to them and to all the NHS Trusts locally who work with us.”
Hilary Todd, Director of the 350+ NHS Careers Programme, says: “The route from education to employment is so important for young people. The work Kat and the team are doing with the 350+ NHS Careers Programme is helping to inspire the next generation to build a fantastic future in the NHS.”
Stephen Morgan MP, Member of Parliament for Portsmouth South and Shadow Minister for Schools, says: “It is brilliant to see the 350+ NHS Careers Programme achieve this recognition for the work Kat and the team are doing in our communities. I’m particularly impressed by the different ways they engage with children and young people, and the programme’s commitment to reach those not in ‘mainstream’ education and show them anything is possible. This can only mean positive things for the development of our future workforce and the prosperity of our region.”
