The NHS is targeting teenagers with the launch of a new careers website this week.
Stepintothenhs.nhs.uk is designed to inform 14-19 year olds about the breadth of jobs in the NHS – anything from clinical psychologists or paediatric nurses to electricians and dietitians.
It also wants young people to think about ways in which their talents and skills could have a positive impact on the future of the NHS.
The NHS is increasingly competing with other large employers for new recruits. The new website marks the first time it has produced a service aimed specifically at engaging young people.
Foluke Ajayi, head of NHS Careers, the information service for careers in the health service, said: “When the original NHS Careers service launched in 1999, the focus was on increasing the numbers of people entering nurse training.
“But we are working in a very different environment today, and we’re in tough competition with other large employers. Step into the NHS is not about filling training places or vacancies now; instead we are focusing on maintaining the quality and quantity of the NHS workforce far into the future.”
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The site also includes an interactive ‘career mapper’, to find out which specific careers would suit their individual skills the best, and short films featuring real NHS staff.