Bristol's two hospital trusts have pledged their support for the
Bristol WORKS programme, an initiative run by the Bristol Learning
City Partnership linking the city's schools with employers and
training to get young people ready for employment.
The programme offers bespoke experiences of work created with
schools and based on the needs of their young people as well as the
skills businesses are looking for in new recruits.
Both University Hospitals Bristol and North Bristol Trust will
now be accepting students on placements, offering experiences which
aim to inspire young people to work in health and care.
Councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills,
said: "I'm a firm believer that raising aspirations can change
people's lives - and that's exactly what is at the heart of the
Bristol WORKS programme. By getting genuine, quality experience of
the working world whilst at school, students can be inspired to
achieve more and have access to better opportunities. It's
fantastic that both of our hospital trusts, who are key employers
in the region, are coming together to make such a positive
contribution to improving the skills and employment opportunities
for young people in Bristol. There's a target in the One City
Plan, which sets out shared goals for the coming decades, to
have 100 employers signed up by 2022 so if you are a local employer
with something you can offer please get in touch with our team to
see how we can help."
In the last school year (17/18) almost 2,500
opportunities were created through the WORKS programme and 60
employers have now pledged support. Work continues this academic
year to collaborate with four more schools and so far almost 500
experiences of work have been delivered, with many more in
planning.
Robert Woolley, chief executive of University Hospitals Bristol
NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This programme provides an excellent
opportunity for our local schools and communities to find out about
the many varied and hugely rewarding healthcare careers that are
available at UH Bristol.
"Through a collaborative partnership approach, we can share
resources and expertise to improve employment and skills
opportunities, making a positive contribution to the development of
local people and the future of the NHS."
Jonathan Hall, Lead Apprenticeship Delivery Manager at North
Bristol Trust, said: "Engaging young people in the health and care
sector early on is really important. We hope many of these young
people will be inspired to start a career in health and apply for
one of our apprenticeships at a later stage. We currently have
about 400 people studying apprenticeships in a variety of clinical
and non-clinical roles. Traineeships are a great way to enter
the NHS and can lead to employment with the added bonus of studying
for a nationally recognized qualification. NBT welcomes
applications from all."
Bristol WORKS is looking for more employers to get involved and
there are lots of ways to do so. The WORKS website lists a range of
ideas from delivering assemblies or providing mentoring through to
arranging mock interviews, hosting visits from students in the
workplace or supporting longer placements for young people via
apprenticeships or training placements.
For more information visit: https://www.bristol.works/
