Pupils’ flair scoops first prize in HEE 'Step Into The NHS' careers contest

Four pupils from The Belvedere Academy in Liverpool have been named national winners in HEE's annual contest designed to help young people consider a career in the NHS.

Sara Abdulhadi, aged 13, Sofia Lotto,12, Holly McPartland,13, and Lily Jones,13, created a fun and informative video to showcase the role of an NHS innovation consultant.  

Their efforts won them top prize in the Step Into The NHS secondary schools competition, winning vouchers to spend.

There are more than 350 different jobs available in the NHS, and the contest asks entrants to write a job description and create a fun, lively advertisement for their chosen role using any kind of media.

This year the secondary schools competition attracted nearly 1,800 entries from 124 schools, with thousands of students involved. Pupils in years 7-9 from all over England took part, and the judges were trainee GP Dr Tom Watchman, career leader Jennie Cole and NHS DNA investigator and England Netball star Rachel Dunn.

Winner Sara Abdulhadi (pictured) said on behalf of her team: “I really enjoyed creating the video with my friends because we all had different ideas and we just joined them into one. I'm proud to say that we won but I don't want to be too obnoxious about it. I'm just happy that we worked together to create a masterpiece!"

You can watch the girls’ winning video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCz5meGo3vs&feature=emb_logo

A list of all the regional winners can be found on the Health Careers website, here:- https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/career-advisers-and-tea...

The Step Into The NHS contest provides a host of useful teaching resources to help raise students’ aspirations and understanding of the many careers available in the NHS.

The resources help students learn about themselves by encouraging them to explore the wide range of jobs in the health service.

Dr Navina Evans, Chief Executive, Health Education England, said: "This year’s entries for the Step Into The NHS contest have been superb – imaginative, fun and thought-provoking – and I am absolutely delighted to congratulate the team at the Belvedere Academy, and all our winners.”

Judge Dr Tom Watchman said: “Having worked in the NHS with people doing lots of different roles over the last six years, I really enjoyed the creative and impressive ways these young people showed the different career paths. It was fun and inspiring to look through the entries, and I feel excited about the future of the NHS.”

The competition is returning for the 2020-21 school year with a brand-new look designed to increase its appeal to students across the country. Developed in partnership with teachers, the Step Into The NHS website includes a careers quiz, real-life stories from NHS staff, work experience tips and learning resources to help young people explore the hundreds of roles within the NHS: https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/

For details of all the career opportunities the NHS can offer, visit the Health Careers website here:- https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/