Work Experience
#HealthandCareWeek 25th September - 29th September 2023
The Health and Social Care partners across Dumfries and Galloway which include the NHS, the Councils Care and Support Services (CASS) and Social Services, independently owned care homes, care at homes, GP practices and Dental practices and third sector organisations are committed to providing work experience to school age students across the region.
Working closely with schools, Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Education team the partners work together to offer a week of placements that are supported with preparation and feedback days.
The week is designed for students to not just get hands on experience in a career of their choice where available but also to :
- Learn how Health and Social Care work together to provide our community with an end to end service
- Experience real life situations and how to handle them in a health or care setting
- Receive key pieces of training that are essential for working in health and care
- Infection prevention
- Confidentiality and data protection
- Health and Safe at work
- Learn about our shared values and which metaskills are required to work in our sector (on the word meta skills add in hyper link to https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/scotlands-careers-services/education-team/meta-skills-toolkit/
- Feedback on their placements
What does the programme look like?
What types of Placements are offered?
Due to health and safety placements offered in a clinical setting will only be offered to students over 16+
- Shadowing support workers in Care homes. Care at home, day centres and hospital settings
- Shadowing staff across community and hospital pharmacy settings
- Seeing nursing and midwifery teams in action in acute, community hospital and community (district) settings
- Learn more about our family of Allied health professionals and how their work support peoples lives
- Meet our amazing dental teams
- Shadow our medics
- Find out why Admin, HR, finance, IT and support services are just as vital services to work in that clinical posts
- You may even be lucky and get a leadership placement where you find out what it takes to be part of a management team in Health and Social Care
What age group?
The programme is designed for School age students who are making choices about their future careers.
I don’t attend school but I am school age. Can I come?
Of course we welcome applications directly from school age students to attend out health and care week please email dg.workexpereince@nhs.scot. The inbox is responded to periodically and in the run up to the event.
Will I still be able to access free school meals?
Of course. Just note it on your application
I am a carer will I be able to get support to attend?
You can access respite care on the following link https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/15925/Support-for-Carers-and-Young-Carers and there are also some great organisations that we would encourage you to link in with who can give advice and support such as http://www.dgalcarers.co.uk/young-carers-project.php
Why are the placements only offered once a year?
We want to be able to offer good quality work placements that are planned and supported so students have an inspiring and safe experience. Our first year we were able to offer 78 placements across our partnership and we hope that these placements will be able to grow year on year.
What happens if I do not get a placement?
It is important to remember that one of the key meta skills we look for when joining the our sector is RESILIENCE. Unfortunately due to volumes of applications we can not select everyone although we would like to be able to have everyone who applies join us. Those who are unsuccessful though should still take the selection process as a vital experience to reflect on how you coped with not being selected. Many times throughout your future career, either via applying for jobs, training posts or just working day to day in health or care you will need to build resilience on how you deal with knock backs or bad news.
What is the application process?
The application process involves applying via Work IT if you are in school or by sending an email to dg.workexperience@nhs.scot of you are school age but not currently in school. We do however understand not all students have access to the Work IT platform therefore are welcome to contact us by email. The inbox is only manned during application period so will not be a way to secure additional work experience outside of the planned week and the lead up to it.
When does the application process open?
will open before students leave for summer holidays and closing date will be on the application pack. Applications will need to be supported by parents for under 16 and teachers who confirm you are on course to secure the grades required for the role. Not all job roles require qualifications so you may for those roles be tested on your metaskills and value to ensure would be the right fit working in a caring profession.
Why should I do work experience?
Work experience is not only a great way to solidify your decision and have great experience on your college or university application but it is also a way to decide if it is right for you. We welcome applications from all students whether it has been their dream to work with us or not. We hope to inspire someone who has never considered a career in health or care to join us.
Career Pathway
