1 JANUARY 2009: Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) has launched a new pre-employment training initiative designed to help local people access careers in healthcare. TMP Worldwide who partners with the Trust on their recruitment strategies, completed a key piece of community research showed that there was a need for additional investment by the NHS to promote opportunities to local Manchester residents and become perceived as an accessible employer for many who had not previously considered Healthcare as a vocation.
Focus groups were held with 96 residents drawn from the 5 wards (Ardwick, Hulme, Longsight, Rusholme and Moss Side) across Manchester. The findings of the research showed that while many local people were interested in working for CMFT, and indeed viewed it as a valuable and secure career choice, they believed they did not have the skills or experience needed to apply.
The pre-employment training initiative fulfils CMFT’s duty of care to ensure that it is an accessible employer. The focus groups also tested promotional material designed by TMP Worldwide to promote the initiative to these ‘hard to reach’ groups.
The pre-employment training programme guarantees an interview for applicants who complete the programme. This directly links the Trust’s recruitment strategy to supporting the Local Employment Partnerships (LEP’s) scheme for tackling local unemployment. LEP’s are a deal between the Government and business to tackle the increasing recruitment and skills challenges of the labour market and economy. The Trust’s LEP was designed specifically to recruit Trainee Clinical Support Workers, the first step for a career in Healthcare and Nursing.
“Trainee Clinical Support Workers are traditionally a hard position to recruit,” says Karen Rose, Programme Manager at the Trust. “This program has revolutionised our attraction strategy. We have found that the candidates who come though this program understand the job they are applying for and have a real passion for care work, which is exactly what we’re looking for.”
In Autumn 2008, 21 hopefuls, some of whom who had been unemployed for up to 10 years, completed the first 5-week programme. There were no pre-required qualifications to enrol on this course – just the right attitude and enthusiasm for patient care.
The training programme was designed by the Trust, in conjunction with The Manchester College and Job Centre Plus, and provided free-of-charge. Each candidate undertook a 2-week classroom based training session and a 3-week work trial, where they were paired with a qualified Support Worker in the Hospital and got to experience first-hand the job they were applying for. To date 15 people have been recruited with several further offers expected later this month.
One applicant who took part in the programme was Anbreen. She says, “Before my interview I was so nervous, but when they started asking me questions about my work trail I found that I had lots to say! Now I’m so excited about starting work on an acute medical ward!”
John Harwood Head of Recruitment and Employment comments, “Central Manchester University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a key employer within 5 of the most deprived wards in Manchester, and actively strives to be representative of the community it serves, with a particular focus on employing local people from all backgrounds, and being an employer of choice. We know that our local community has skills and capabilities that are not always recognised or supported by previous work experience or relevant qualifications. The success of this program demonstrates the talent we have in our local area, and is the first step towards helping local people find the careers they want in healthcare.”
4 further pre-employment courses for Trainee Clinical Support Workers are arranged for 2009, with the first starting in February. The Trust aims to train and recruit up to 80 staff though this program in 2009 and further courses for Facilities and Administration are planned for later in the spring.
For further information about the Trainee Clinical Support Workers employment programme, potential applicants should contact their local Job Centre.
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TMP Worldwide
Rebecca Dunstan, Flagship Consulting
Tel: 0207 886 8440
rebecca.dunstan@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
About TMP Worldwide (www.tmpw.co.uk)
TMP Worldwide in the UK & Ireland provides recruitment advertising and manages the process of hiring from everyday roles through to senior positions. Its end-to-end solutions provide a pain free way to get the best candidates onboard, designing and delivering everything critical for the hiring process from job profiling to candidate management and executive search.
TMP Worldwide is one of the largest organisations of its kind, with ten offices across the UK & Ireland and it works as part of a global network which enables it to provide a tailored service on both a local, national and global level. Its creative approach to recruitment communications means it has won multiple-awards for its campaigns across the private and public sector.