Posted: November 27, 2018
The Northern Lincolnshire Education Consortium held an event to launch a brand new Health Academy helping young people build careers in the health sector.
The event took place at North Lindsey College on Tuesday 6 th November with health
and social care providers along with educational leaders pledging their
support towards young people and helping them build the skills they need to
progress, for long lasting careers in the health and social care sector.
Aimed at 14-18 year olds, the new Academy will open initially to students
from Huntcliff School, The Axholme Academy, St Bede’s Catholic Voluntary
Academy, Fredrick Gough School, North Lindsey College and John Leggott College.
Students will have the opportunity to work towards qualifications in health and social
care as well as build valuable work experience in the health and social care sector.
Key speakers included Rebecca Buss (Cross Sector Provider Partnership), Dr Faidel
Baig (North Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group Chair) Wendy Fisher
(Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust), Ben Lawrence
(Frederick Gough School) and Ian Barkley (University Centre at North Lindsey
College) and Dr Peter Reading (North Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Trust). Dr
Reading described how Health was one of the few sectors where future employment
opportunities are almost guaranteed and NLaG was delighted to support the
Academy in encouraging more young people to join the sector where hundreds of
different roles are available.
Dr Faisel Baig described how he had studied at St Bedes before going to College in
Scunthorpe before studying medicine at Manchester University. Dr Baig supported
the Academy as it aligned with his personal passion for North Lincolnshire to grow its
own health professionals.
Mick Lochran (Principal at North Lindsey College) stated, “The Academy aims to
bring key health sector bodies together with schools and colleges to 'inform,
involve and inspire young people to explore the meaningful, rewarding and diverse
careers that the health sector offers”.
Ben Lawrance (Head Teacher at Frederick Gough) added, “I think it is one of the
most exciting developments the consortium has worked on since conception. It ties
up so many elements and I am genuinely excited about this.”
Over recent years, the area has struggled to recruit health care professionals. The
Consortium hopes to raise the aspirations of local young people and train them to
work locally through a ‘grow your own’ approach.
Helen Creasy (Project Manager at the Northern Lincolnshire Education Consortium)
said, “This is the start of an exciting partnership between the Northern Lincolnshire
Education Consortium and local health care providers to raise aspirations and create
opportunities for the young people of North Lincolnshire, whilst also supporting future
recruitment needs within the health sector in North Lincolnshire. This is a fantastic
example of a community coming together to share ideas, knowledge and expertise
and we are excited to launch the programme to students across the Northern
Lincolnshire Education Consortium in January.'
The new Academy will mean that students will be able to benefit from work
placements, a mentor scheme run by health and social care professionals,
enrichment sessions, higher education master classes, careers advice, Annual
Health Conference, newsletters and opportunities for independent study.
Ian Barkley (Curriculum Development at the University, North Lindsey College) said,
“A few minutes of inspiration can kick start a fantastic career lasting a lifetime. We
can’t wait to get out into schools to start that journey.”