School and college leavers invited to check out NHS and care careers, as results day arrives

With tens of thousands of young people in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes set to receive their A Level, T Level, NVQ and GCSE results today and next week, school and college leavers have been urged to consider a career in health and social care.

There are over 350 different careers in the NHS and care, ranging from roles which are focused on direct patient care to behind-the-scenes careers in laboratories, finance, project management, human resources and other aspects of administration.  In Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, over 45,000 people are employed in health and care services in both the public and private sector.

Earlier this year, the Government published its 10-Year Plan for the NHS, which set out how the NHS workforce will shift from hospitals to communities, and how its work will move from sickness to prevention.  There are already plans in place to increase training places in medical and nursing careers, and more opportunities for on-the-job learning including apprenticeships.

Martha Roberts, chief people officer at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, said:

“I want to congratulate all the people who are getting their results today and next week.  With the increasing shift from analogue to digital care, there’s never been a better time to start a career in health and social care.

“There’s lots of information on working in the NHS at healthcareers.nhs.uk, including a quiz which you can take to find out which sorts of roles you’re most suited to.  If you’d like to find out more about a career in care, there’s a really informative website called aquestionofcare.org.uk, which also lets you check your interests and skills against the types of work you could do.

“Working in the health and care sector is varied and always fulfilling.  Even if you didn’t get the grades you were expecting, don’t panic.  It’s never too early to start thinking about a career in the NHS and care and there’s something for everyone who has the right values and skills.

“There are plenty of ways to get started: apprenticeships, volunteering opportunities and, if you’re thinking of going to university to study for a degree, start doing some research into the qualifications you’ll need.”

The NHS Health Careers team will be hosting live online Q&A sessions in August for anyone who needs advice on career opportunities after receiving their exam results.  You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for details of these sessions.

Alternatively, you can call NHS Health Careers on 0345 60 60 655 or email advice@healthcareers.nhs.uk.