Teams from across the Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust deliver careers fair to sixth form students at Outwood Grange Academy

Georgina Woodford, head of recruitment; Ellie Valentine, associate director of workforce and organisational development; and Vicky Gawthorpe, recruitment team leader from Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, at the careers fair at Outwood Grange Academy, Wakefield.

The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is working with Outwood Grange Academies Trust to inspire school students to become the next generation of healthcare workers.

Colleagues from Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust Hospitals,which runs hospitals in Wakefield, Dewsbury and Pontefract, attended an early careers fair at Outwood Grange Academy to provide insight and information on their roles for students.

More than 700 young people attended the event on April 28, which was open to Year 10 and 12 students across all secondary schools under the Outwood Grange Academies Trust umbrella.

Over 40 other organisations, colleges and universities across West Yorkshire also took part.

It provided an opportunity for the Trust’s teams across nursing and midwifery, medical and theatres, digital services, apprenticeships, plus many more, to give students career information, advice and guidance, alongside guaranteed interviews for apprentice and trainee healthcare assistant roles.

Mahmud Nawaz, non-executive director at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, and Academy Governor at Outwood Grange Academy, said: “I’m delighted to see the partnership between Outwood Grange Academy and The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust grow from strength to strength.

“I am always bowled over by the passion our #MYTeam have for their careers and in engaging the next generation to inspire them.

“Thank you to our team for volunteering their time and showing such enthusiasm for this event, and especially to Georgina Woodford and Ellie Valentine for organising our team, and to Julekha Motara at Outwood Grange Academy for hosting us and generating such an amazing turnout.

"I know that we will be successful in attracting talent into our NHS Trust as a result of events like this, with strong interest from both pupils and parents in opportunities at Mid Yorkshire. A truly wonderful community event.”

“The Trust offers many routes into direct employment, with guaranteed interviews for students on certain pathways, and we offer numerous apprenticeships, which enable individuals to achieve further qualifications with both financial and pastoral support, to enable individuals to realise their aspirations.”

Julekha Motara, assistant principal at Outwood Grange Academy in Potovens Lane, Outwood, Wakefield, added: “We were absolutely thrilled to welcome The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust to our careers fair.

“Events such as this are a key part of our Careers strategy and provide a great opportunity for students across the Wakefield district to meet and talk with individuals from a wide variety of sectors.

“A huge thank you to all of the employers and universities that joined us at the event – there was some excellent feedback from students and parents, and we look forward to seeing you at our next event.”