Doing a Steps into Work (NHS) employability programme has reaped great results for 39-year-old Tapiwa Hakutangwi as, on completion of the course, she was offered a part-time position as a ward clerk at West Park Hospital.
The course – run by the college in partnership with the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) – is aimed at jobseekers who are interested in working in an administration role in the NHS and covers key employability skills – such as communication, timekeeping and working as part of a team – as well as advice on producing a CV, applying for jobs in the sector and preparing for an interview.
The course also offers participants the opportunity to do a work experience placement in an NHS setting and to work alongside trust employees, shadowing the work that they do, to give them a taste of what a job in the sector would entail.
Tapiwa said: “I decided to do this course because I want to work in the NHS as it provides job security and there are opportunities for progressions within the organisation.
“During my placement I worked on ward one at West Park Hospital, working alongside the ward clerk and other health professionals. I did a range of admin work – such as answering phone calls, directing people to the right department, photo copying, filling out forms, filing patients’ documents and making sure information was correct and in the right order.”
As part of the course, Tapiwa had an interview with a member of the RWT Futures team and has gained a part-time position as a ward clerk at West Park Hospital.
She added: “The Steps into Work programme gave me a massive confidence boost after being out of work for a long time.
“I was ecstatic when I was offered the position and felt a sense of accomplishment and pride as it was not an easy journey to get to this stage.
“The course is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to work in the NHS, particularly on the admin side, because of the hands-on experience you get.
“I’d really recommend this course to anyone – it was the right course for me and it could be the right course for them too!”
