UK (Middlesex University) MDX hosted large NHS careers fair featuring nearly 100 healthcare professionals

The event is being held amid a surge of NHS applications after COVID-19

A massive careers fair at Middlesex University brought together nearly 100 healthcare professionals to inspire students who are interested in NHS careers.

MDX and North Central London training hubs hosted the 2022 NHS Careers Fair this Thursday.

This event was held online last year with a welcome talk from Tik Tok influencer and surgeon Dr Karan Rajan.

This year, the focus was on encouraging face to face conversations between healthcare professionals and students to promote NHS careers amid a well-documented surge of applications for various health care education and training courses across the country after COVID.

MDX has also sought to play its part in supporting healthcare provision in the community during the pandemic with initiatives such as the production of PPE and the addressing the mental health impact on its students.

Pro-Chancellor Stock, formerly Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “Middlesex continues to work closely with the wider community towards a healthier future for everyone, which forms a key part of our strategic vision.

“We believe that our students have shown, over the last few years in particular, the valuable role they play in supporting the work of the NHS.

“We want to build on our brilliant work so that we can continue to support our healthcare professionals in making a real difference to people’s lives. We hope you will consider joining us in person or online.”

The free of charge careers fair, which follows on from this year’s National Careers Week and is available to anyone aged over 15, saw qualified NHS and MDX staff discuss their job roles, apprenticeships, degrees and other entry routes into the NHS.

They shared their experiences of working in roles such as nurses, doctors, psychologists, neuro physiologists, pharmacists and radiographers.

The planned schedule was as follows:

• Careers Fair – Session 1 4.30pm
• Careers Fair – Session 2 6:00pm
• Tour of MDX nursing facilities from 5:00pm (every half hour)
• NHS Apprenticeships 5.05pm and 7:05pm
• Pathways into the healthcare sector – careers panel 5.45pm

The online programme captures many of these features to ensure access for as wide an audience as possible. In addition to watching the live streamed talks, attendees spoke live to Middlesex University healthcare academics and students and access online content featuring the NHS Health Careers team.

Sharon Ralph from North Central London Primary Care hub said:

“There are 350 careers available in the NHS. Some will give you direct contact with patients, while in others you are part of a vast support network vital to delivering healthcare. Some roles are in hospitals, others are based in the community. Some require the highest academic standards, while for many positions, employers are looking for enthusiasm, keenness to learn and the ability to work as part of a team.

“We are delighted to be working with Middlesex University to offer high school students the opportunity to talk to a wide variety of health and social care professionals face-to-face to find out what they love about their jobs, which and help the students plan their futures.”

North Central London Training hubs bring together NHS organisations, community, local authorities and education providers across Haringey, Camden, Islington, Barnet and Enfield to provide collaborative learning and programmes in the region.

Students could sign up via this web page where they get the schedule and Zoom links for relevant session.

Find out more about healthcare and social work courses at Middlesex University