North Bristol Trust and University Hospitals Bristol 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.
Both North Bristol Trust and University Hospitals Bristol accept students on placements, offering experiences which aim to inspire young people to work in health and care.
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."
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.
For more information on the work experience that North Bristol Trust offers, please see work experience.