Promoting Careers in Health to Highland Pupils
A two day convention promoting careers in health for young people takes place this week in Inverness and over 200 S4 pupils from across the Highlands are expected to come along to find more out about working in medicine and other health professions.
Organised by The Highland Council in partnership with NHS Highland, the University of Aberdeen Medical School, Lifescan, UHI and in association with Determined to Succeed, the two day workshop event takes place at Caledonian Thistle Football Club on Thursday and Friday. The days will include a variety of interactive activities to give the young people a flavour of the variety of jobs available in the healthcare sector and the diversity of skills required. Pupils will also be able to talk to health professionals and hear first hand about the practical skills and experiences of different healthcare careers.
Both the morning and afternoon sessions are aimed to help pupils consider their study options and will be very interactive, taking the format of simulated activity with a range of special simulation equipment and the input of clinicians and staff from NHS Highland. Lifescan will be focusing on skills for research and development and providing an opportunity for pupils to take part in psychological profiling to help them plan their careers. There will also be the opportunity to speak to staff and career advisers about qualifications needed for healthcare jobs.
As well as looking at medicine careers, other key health professions such as Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Radiography, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy and Paramedical training will all be featured.
To coincide with the convention a special exhibition of prints of ten portraits by Mark Moynihan, commissioned by NHS Grampian Hospitals Art Trust (GHAT), will be on display. The portraits feature staff from Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and accompanying each photograph is a description of the person, details of their job and their own comments on what they enjoy about their work. They include a theatre nurse, a consultant. a hospital administrator and a porter.
Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Service said: “Supporting young Highlanders with their career choices from an early stage is an important part in establishing what paths they wish to follow. This is a great opportunity for young people in Highland to decide whether a career in health or medicine is for them. By enabling pupils to meet with health-related professionals on an informal basis helps them to make the right choices.”