A young pupil from Downham Market has been named the East of England winner of this year’s Step into the NHS careers competition for primary schools.
Eden, a pupil at Hilgay Riverside Academy, impressed judges by showcasing the role of a play therapist through a creative and engaging poster that captured what a typical day in the profession looks like.
The competition received almost 5,000 entries from pupils across primary and secondary schools nationwide. Eden’s winning poster was selected as the regional winner from 84 entries submitted across the East of England.
The Step into the NHS careers programme aims to inspire young people by raising awareness of the wide range of careers available within the NHS and encouraging them to consider future career opportunities in healthcare.
The initiative supports the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan, which highlights the importance of widening access to NHS careers, particularly for young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. The plan also sets out ambitions to grow the domestic NHS workforce and reduce reliance on international recruitment to less than 10% of new recruits by 2035.
Inspiring young people to think about their future careers will play a vital role in achieving these ambitions, and it is never too early to start exploring the opportunities available.
Step into the NHS introduces children as young as eight to more than 350 different careers within the NHS, helping them discover that there is a role for everyone, regardless of their interests or background. The programme also helps to raise aspirations and develop valuable skills for future education, training and employment.
View Eden’s entry and all the winners at https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/primary-schools/online-gallery.