Work Experience Update: 1 November 2022

Work Experience Update 1 November 2022 – Health and Social Care based work experience

We had formal notification from the chair of the Regional Work Experience Placement (WEP) group that a decision had been made by the HSCNI OD Network to CONTINUE TO STAND DOWN all work experience placements and open days for post primary students and Level 1-3 in FE Colleges – has now been extended from their previous date of March 2022.  The decision is that there will be no ‘in person’ activity until the 31 August 2022.  (This will remain under review). There will be no in person work experience/open days before the 31 August 2022.

(1 November update) Please note this suspension is still in place whilst the HSC organisations scope, plan and discuss the potential resumption of in person work experience. Work Inspiration will continue to advise on and promote the virtual opportunities offered.

This is a regional HSCNI decision and covers all organisations listed below:

  • Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – all sites
  • Northern Health and Social Care Trust – all sites
  • South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust – all sites
  • Southern Health and Social Care Trust – all sites
  • Western Health and Social Care Trust – all sites
  • NI Ambulance Service – all sites
  • NI Blood Transfusion Service – all sites
  • Business Services Organisation (BSO) (this includes Public Health Agency (PHA) and Health and Social Care Board)

This is an update to the March 2022 suspension which previously suspended activity until September 2022.

In relation to other organisations returning to ‘in person’ work experience, we will keep you apprised of the situation. Please see below:

  • George Best Belfast City Airport have resumed work experience on set dates for three days
  • Danske Bank have resumed work experience in their local branches
  • Belfast International Airport have advised that they will review the return of in person work experience during the summer of 2022 and advise in September 2022 of their decision. We are still awaiting advisement
  • Spirit AeroSystems (formerly Bombardier) have advised that they will review the return of in person work experience during the summer of 2022 and advise in September 2022 of their decision. We are still awaiting advisement

As the guidance from the NI Executive remains ‘work from home’ if you can, many are not considering a return to in-person until they have returned staff back to the workplace and have risk assessed the situation.  We continue to encourage those organisations that are able to offer short ‘virtual’ sessions or provide other ways of engaging students in career learning.

Please refer to these sections of our website for further information:

Work Inspiration Noticeboard:  http://workinspiration-ni.com/noticeboard/

Work Inspiration Careers Resources: http://workinspiration-ni.com/resources/

Work Inspiration Careers Storyboards:  http://workinspiration-ni.com/storyboards/

Work Inspiration Careers Videos: https://workinspiration-ni.com/videos-2/

Latest information from the Education Authority in relation to work experience is here: Work Experience Arrangements | Education Authority Northern Ireland (eani.org.uk)

The Work Inspiration team postponed all of our physical events on 16 March 2020. At the moment we are supporting a hybrid approach to work experience and open days, offering both in person and virtual. Schools will be advised once there is a resumption of in person.