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Home > Careers > Roles and opportunities > Work experience and placements > Schools and colleges

Schools and colleges

Information about working in the NHS for those at school and in college

Child in surgeons uniform

Information and resources for schools and colleges

We are passionate about supporting those interested in a career in healthcare to explore different roles and consider the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to work in the NHS.

We know that many young people are not aware of the wide range of roles in the NHS and the different job opportunities available. Areas such as estates and facilities, finance, healthcare science, administration, medical engineering, public health and digital / IT are typically less well known than front-line clinical roles such as nursing, medicine and paramedicine etc. We want to broaden children and young people’s horizons, raise aspirations and also challenge some of the views that children may have about jobs in the health sector and the people who do them.

For primary schools 

Holly’s big adventure

Join Holly, Alder Hey’s very own Therapy Dog, as she goes on an adventure around the hospital, meeting some of our amazing staff and patients along the way. Find out about some of the jobs that people do, and the skills needed to do them.

New resources and linked workbook

To accompany the video, we have also created a linked picture book, short story book and wider resources to support discussions about skills, different roles and the world of work. The workbook includes resources that link skills to roles, explore healthy foods, and encourage children to learn about their bodies and to think about what they are good at and what they enjoy doing.

Spend a day at Alder Hey for Year 2 or 3 pupils: a day of hands-on health-related activities in the Institute in the Park on the main Alder Hey site.

Please email [email protected] to enquire.

For secondary schools/colleges 

Check out our ‘Step into Alder Hey’ video showcasing a wide range of different roles 

  • Work Experience (must be aged 16+) and BTEC and Vocational Placements see more on Work experience page.
Work experience at Alder Hey

Aspiring medics

This one-day intensive programme is aimed at lower sixth students/college equivalents who are serious about wishing to pursue a career in medicine and who are also predicted to achieve the grades necessary to enter medical school. The current minimum A-level grades needed are AAA, (Grade A in Biology and Chemistry is the norm plus a further A level at Grade A), noting that some HEIs have contextual offers. Participants will spend a day based in the Institute in the Park (link to /research/facilities/institute-in-the-park/) and will have the opportunity to take part in different workshops, discuss different clinical scenarios, talk to a number of doctors about their roles, ask questions of university admissions tutors and current medical students and explore healthcare today. For further information please email: [email protected]

Careers talks and events

We work with Elevate EBP to support their programme of career events across the city. We may also be able to support specific events in Schools and Colleges as we have a number of Careers Ambassadors across the Alder Hey who are keen to showcase what they do and inspire the next generation.  

Please email [email protected] to find out more. 

Useful websites to help you find out more about working in the NHS

Please note the links below will take you to another website.

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