A Work Experience Placement is defined as for a young person who is at school and is 16-19 years old, or a student in Further Education/Training working towards a Level 2/3 qualification.
At its broadest, work experience can open students’ eyes to jobs they may never have thought of, and help inform career decision making. The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust works with local schools and colleges to provide work experience placements for young people so they gain knowledge and understanding of the world of health & social care, while raising awareness of the diverse range of roles and career paths.
Students get a taste of work culture, job roles and the day-to-day operations within health & social care, enabling them to make informed decisions on whether a particular job role or a career aligns with their interest. By helping students explore the depths of their interests and abilities, work experience can assist them to draw a comparison between the skills they possess, those essential for a specific career area and related academic/educational requirements.
Placements include: Medical, Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health Professionals, including: Podiatry, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Labs, Bio-Medical Science, Pathology, ICT, Community Care, Disability.
To support schools and colleges, the Trust works in partnership with Work Inspiration (BITC) who co-ordinate student requests on our behalf. Click here for more information.
Further information on can be found on the Work Inspiration website by clicking here.
Contact: Work Inspiration – Business in the Community
Telephone: (028) 9045 1444
Fax: 0870 460 1731
E-mail: workinspiration@bitcni.org.uk
-
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you mean by Work Experience?
A Work Experience Placement is defined as for a student at school (16-19 years old), or a student in Further Education/Training working towards a Level 2/3 qualification.
Is there a minimum age to be able to attend work experience?
The minimum age for work experience at the South Eastern H&SC Trust is 16 years old.
How can I apply for work experience?
Students interested in a work experience placement at the South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust must discuss their expression of interest with their school/college Careers Teacher/Advisor. Following a careers discussion, and on behalf of the student, the Careers Teacher/Advisor should submit a formal referral to the Work Inspiration Programme (Work Inspiration NI), who works in partnership with the Trust to process placement requests.
School/College Careers Teachers/Advisors make student selection dependent on a variety of criterion, including the student’s chosen education subjects, academic performance, career options, and number of places allocated by Work Inspiration. It is important that any work experience we provide is part of a career planning process so you are matched to the most appropriate work experience opportunity.
For the purpose of equity, the Trust supports only one system for placement requests – there is no direct route into the Trust through family or friends.
How many days’ work experience can I get?
Our work experience is typically for 1 to 2 days depending on the type. We receive a large number of requests for work experience each year and aim to fulfil as many requests as we can; therefore, we need to limit the number of days we can offer to each student.
Can I apply for more than one placement at a time?
No, due to the high demand for places, we can only offer one space to an applicant at any time.
The South Eastern H&SC Trust receives a large number of requests for work experience each year. We aim to facilitate as many requests as we can; however, demand can be high in some areas and at certain times meaning that places are limited and can change at short notice due to unforeseen workforce/clinical demands.
Are there set weeks I can apply for?
Departments will specify which dates are available on their work experience advertisement, which is promoted on the Work Inspiration NI noticeboard. Where possible, departments will schedule work experience at appropriate times, mindful of school/college curriculum/term-time commitments.
If I speak to my careers teacher today, can I do the work experience next week?
No, you will only attend work experience on the dates given, as described by the host department in their advertisement.
What is your dress code for work experience?
Students should ensure they are appropriately dressed for a professional workplace: Smart, casual and school pupils can come straight from school in their school uniform.
In particular, we have a strict dress code for nursing placements to promote effective infection control and to enable staff and visitors to identify students on placement. Guidance on dress code and other important information about your work experience placement will be provided to you before you are due to attend.
What happens if I am unwell or unable to attend work experience?
Please do not attend work experience if you are unwell or a close contact of someone who has symptoms or tested positive for an illness such as Covid-19. Please contact your careers teacher and/or Work Inspiration to advise that you will not be attending work experience. If appropriate, we will attempt to re-arrange your work experience but cannot guarantee that we can provide you with another opportunity
Can I register to volunteer as well?
Yes, volunteering is another great way to build experience and confidence in a workplace. We have many volunteer roles that will help you learn more about patient care and working in a healthcare setting.
Please visit Volunteering for more information if you are interested in volunteering with the South Eastern H&SC Trust.
-
Further Education Colleges/Training Organisations
For students studying a Level 4 or above course and require a work experience placement as part of that course, please contact the Organisation & Workforce Development Team so they can advise on the information required to help consider the request:
-
Medical Work Experience
The South Eastern H&SC Trust has a tripartite agreement with the Department of Health, Ulster University and Queens University Belfast to facilitate structured work placements for students enrolled on healthcare related courses. Placement arrangements are managed directly between the university and the Trust.
If you are a student at any other university and wish to request an elective or practice placement, please click on related information box.
-
Medical Electives
All requests for medical Undergraduate and Postgraduate electives must be sent to the Medical Education Team:
Medical Undergraduate: Undergrad@setrust.hscni.net
Medical Elective: Electives@setrust.hscni.net
-
Nursing/Midwifery Placements (university students studying outside of NI and within the UK)
For university students studying outside of NI and within the UK, all requests for Nursing/Midwifery practice placements must be sent to the Practice Education Team.
-
Practice Placements (university students studying outside of NI and within the UK)
Physiotherapy Practice Placements
All requests for Physiotherapy Practice Placements must be sent to Practice Education Team:
E-mail: PracticeEducation.Physiotherapy@setrust.hscni.net
For all other AHP/healthcare related practice placement requests from university students studying outside of NI and within the UK not outlined above, please contact the Organisation & Workforce Development Team so they can advise on the information needed in order to consider your request:
-
International Students
The Trust does give consideration to inquiries regarding elective placement requests from international students, studying outside of the UK. Consideration and approval for these requests are the responsibility of the placement sponsor, who will consider all statutory requirements and the demands on the service, including: student’s course details and relevance, language skills, indemnity and enhanced checks.
Medical Elective: Electives@setrust.hscni.net
Nursing/Midwifery Electives: PracticeEducation.Team@setrust.hscni.net
For all other international elective placement queries: Rachel.mcalernon@setrust.hscni.net
-
HSC Graduate Schemes
The HSC Graduate Internship Programme has been designed to give recent graduates the chance to gain experience in working within the dynamic and exciting environment of Health & Social Care. The scheme runs over two tears, with opportunities across NI, both in the healthcare Trusts and participating HSC organisations.
The Graduate Intern Programme goes live on: https://www.hscrecruit.com/
- Applications open to graduates: April – May
- Graduate interviews: June
- Placements commence: September
(Timeline subject to change)
-
Innovation, Research & Development Requests
The Innovation, Research & Development department offers a comprehensive service designed to support research activity within the Trust. Queries accepted via e-mail to Research Development: