Pupils take a healthy look at different career opportunities
STUDENTS LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTH AND CARE
An interactive chance to find out more about a career in health was presented to keen Sunderland children.
Dozens of youngsters took part in the latest Work Discovery Sunderland event when they got to see everything from a mock hospital ward to a pharmacy.
And they even had a chance to follow the interactive journeys of two patients.
Year 8, 9 and 10 students found out more about career options in health and care with a day of sessions and workshops.
For the first time the Health and Care Sector Day was held at the University of Sunderland’s Living Lab – a new and creative learning space for undergraduates studying to work in the fields of nursing, pharmacy, paramedic science and health sciences.
The Living Lab is part of the university’s £5.5m Sciences Complex redevelopment and it was the perfect setting for the day.
Young people got to meet representatives from a wide range of organisations including medical staff, pharmacy, occupational therapy, paramedics and all the support services.
They followed the interactive journeys of two ‘patients’; Edith, an 85-year-old with a series of health issues including diabetes and respiratory problems, and Danny, 16, who injured his ankle while playing football and is taken to hospital by ambulance.
The facilities at the Living Lab include a mock hospital ward and a pharmacy, giving the young people taking part the opportunity to experience working in realistic settings.
City Hospitals Sunderland led the event in conjunction with North East Ambulance Service, The Clinical Commissioning Group, Health Education North East, Sunderland City Council, Gateshead Health Foundation Trust and Church View Medical Centre.
The Health and Care Sector Day is one of a number of events taking place as part of the Work Discovery Sunderland programme, which includes guest speaker days and the annual Work Discovery Week event which this year will run from June 26 to 30.
Paul McEldon, co-chair man of Work Discovery Sunderland – now in its fifth year – said sector days such as this can play a vital part in shap- ing pupils’ career plans.
“They give young people the chance to find out about the wide variety of roles and occupational areas that exist within sectors such as health and care and really open their eyes to the options available to them,” he said.