Inspiring the Next Generation of NHS Staff

We created an exciting primary and secondary school initiative called ‘Step into the NHS’, inspiring the next generation of NHS staff, exposing them to the hugely varied range of careers which fall under the UK’s biggest employer. The annual competition helped raise children’s ambitions, challenge stereotyping and put learning into context for the future with multi stage resources, lessons and a national competition to create an advert for an NHS careers that interested them. A live Step into the NHS event increased engagement and the competition culminated in a Winners Day final crowning the national winners.

Hundreds of primary and secondary schools take part in the competition annually, with over 50,000 students joining the live event days and 3,700 entries in last year’s competition. Evaluating sentiment around how we met the goals of increasing NHS-career awareness and inspiring school children to consider a future in the NHS:

• 100% of participating primary-school teachers and 95% of secondary-school educators said SITNHS resources helped raise the future-career aspirations of their students.

• 95% of primary teachers said the resources helped challenge gender stereotyping.

• 100% of participating secondary-school and primary-school educators said SITNHS helped their students understand the range of NHS career opportunities.