Children’s Hospital Engineering Day showcases opportunities in our NHS for students
Our Children’s Hospital has welcomed students from Aston University Engineering Academy (AUEA) to showcase the many career opportunities available in our NHS.
All of the group are studying towards a Level 3 BTEC qualification which will provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to enable them to progress to employment in the engineering sector or undergraduate university courses.
While most associate a career in the NHS working in a clinical capacity, as a doctor or nurse, there are also a huge number of roles specialising in different areas of engineering, from electrical and mechanical to building services and biomedical.
The inaugural event, which took place last week (Thursday 29 June), was organised by our Head of Sustainability, Dan Saxton, and supported by teams from Vital Services.
On the day, forty students aged between 16 and 19 met with members of various teams, many of whom started their engineering careers as apprentices or are currently studying for apprenticeships – alongside their roles to enhance their skillsets.
The students were given the opportunity to try fun activities, from building an insect hotel to virtual reality fire-fighting and tried out some of our medical-engineering equipment.
Rounding off their visit, the students gathered in the hospital’s lecture theatre to learn more about the Trust’s ground source heat pump project before having the chance to get a close-up view of borehole drilling equipment in operation as the major decarbonisation project continues.
Dan Saxton said: “The visit was a great way for our Trust to forge new links with AUEA and to show how we can support students looking for a future career in engineering with us and in our NHS.
“It’s sometimes a path and choice that’s still not that widely known but it’s one that is rewarding and filled with opportunities.”
Ruth Mercy, Assistant Principle at AUEA, who joined the students during the visit said: “It was a fantastic day and I think all our students have gone away feeling absolutely inspired. I’d like to say thank you to everyone at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s for being so accommodating.”
To find out more about an engineering career in the NHS, please visit the NHS Health Careers website.
There’s more detail on the Trust’s Ground Source Heat Pump project on the BWC YouTube channel.